Country Boy Can Survive
by jaspersluv
Summary: The Story of Peter Whitlock- his beginning and his journey, from his point of view. Disclaimer: Twilight and it's peeps belong to SM. Plot is mine as are original characters. Warning: I don't believe in canon pairings. For more info on this story, see my bio :)
1. Prologue

Long and windin' roads, uphill battles an jus plain hell, but all the while I've stood at my brother's side. I've had his back at risk a my own life, an I know without question I'd lay it down to protect his. Maybe that's why the feelin' a betrayal runs so deep in my soul at this moment. I can't count the number a times I've been out to this very spot, but never once in the position I'm in right now, an he's the one that ordered me out here.

An order like that ain't nothin' unusual. I come out here, then soon enough he sends the first a my victims, an one-by-one I exterminate the soldiers that are no longer good to us. Though this time, it ain't no victim that comes to me.

The feelin' a somethin' bad comin' has been naggin' at me for a couple a weeks now. I thought it would be a battle gone wrong, or that Spanish whore would finally turn on him, but it seems I was wrong. I wish my feelin's would be more specific sometimes.. The bond I've formed with my brother- my sire- is so tight, I can feel his presence, an I feel it now as he stalks me. I thought I had proved myself to be valuable to him...loyal. More so than his own sire, the aforementioned Spanish whore. Why can't he see that? Why can't he see her for what she is? One day she will turn on him, I know it. An I almost feel sorry for the bitch when she does.

Almost.

He can feel the betrayal I feel, I know he can an I lay it on thick mixed with a good dose of anguish. I've been at his side for more than thirty years, an this is the thanks I get? "Are ya at least gonna look me in the eye before ya take my head off, brother? Or am I just another disposable soldier...Maybe yer jus too much of a coward to face what yer about to do." I know I'm pokin' the bear, but I deserve more than this. I thought one day I'd die for him, not at his own hands. The Major's deep growl rumbles the ground under my boots, an I'm overwhelmed with a feelin' a grief so strong it brings me to my knees. I guess this is it. I know I can't fight him.

At least I know he's conflicted about it...


	2. Chapter 1

Let me paint a picture for ya: Sprawlin' pastures a golden hues swayin' gently to a dry, heated breeze as the sun sets on the horizon. Along an old, tattered fence line made a splintered posts an rails, a painted horse moves in lazy stride carryin' a cowboy in worn trousers upon his back. He makes a click with his tongue, brinin' the animal to a halt an he slips from the worn saddle to mend a part a the fence. With the fence mended an the sun nearly gone behind the horizon, he takes his hat from his head to wipe his brow with a handkerchief pulled from the pocket a his plaid shirt. The day has been long an hot, filled with hard work that comes with life on a Texas ranch, but he'd known nothin' else an wouldn't have it any other way. Soon, he'd be stretched out under a star filled sky, falling asleep to nature's lullaby.

Sounds perfect, don't it?

That's my life; I'm that cowboy. My name is Peter Lucas Montgomery, an I've learned that no matter how hard a day has been, it's worth the payoff at the end. There just ain't nothin' like layin' out under a wide open Texas sky at night.

From the distance comes the dull ring of a bell an I let out a sigh, lookin up at my noble steed, Blackjack. He an I both know that sound well. It means that Mama wants me in for the night. Sure, I'm a full-grown man at almost twenty-one years old an I could ignore it, but I still live under the roof a my folks' home, so I do my best to honor their wishes. My older brother, Mark was ill earlier, so I got a good idea she needs me to come in an do all the chores he normally tends to, like choppin' up some firewood an bringin' it in.

I don't mind one bit easin' the burden off a my folks, an neither does Mark. Pa an my oldest brother, John, both fought t'gether in the Civil War. Pa came home injured, an John didn't come home at all. I wasn't born 'till almost a year after Pa had come home, so I never knew John, but Mark still misses him to this day. Pa still can't talk about him, or what happened the day he died, an none of us push him to. I can only imagine that it would have been great to know him.

I was meant to be the last in the family, an I enjoyed bein' the notoriously spoiled youngest until I was eleven. I swear Pa nearly passed out when Ma told him she was expectin' again. Ya could say I didn't take it well, either. I had been the baby an the apple a my Mama's eye for eleven years! Who did this lil' brat think it was? As it turned out, it wasn't one lil' brat, but two, an Pa _did _pass out when the doc strolled in with two tiny, cryin' bundles in his arms. In order to help Pa, the doc had to pass the babies off to me an Mark. Reluctantly, I took my lil' sister, Ruth, in my arms. She quit cryin' an I got over my childish jealousy real quick. The two a us have had a tight bond ever since. Unfortunately, my lil' brother didn't make it past a couple a weeks due to some kinda heart deformity. The loss was hard on all a us, but especially Mama. He was the second child she had to bury, an life ain't s'posed to go like that.

"I guess we ought'a get on to the house, huh?" I murmur to Blackjack as I pat his neck an mount the saddle. I don't hafta tug his reins, he knows just what to do, turnin and headin toward the stables at a slow trot.

Jus as soon as the barn comes into view, I can see Ruthie sittin' there on one a the fence posts, waitin' on me. She knows I'm comin' in when Mama rings that bell, so she waits, even if it's an hour before I make it back. As usual, she goes to wavin' them arms a hers, flaggin' me over to where she's at, an I ride over with a big grin plastered to my face.

"Peter!" she chirps, hoppin from the post to my lap, one a her sandy-brown braids smackin' my face along the way. "Once around the pasture? Please?" she begged, drawin' out the 'please'.

"Ya know ya got a horse a your own, right? An ain't I supposed to be gettin' inside? Mama called me back for a reason I bet." I smirk mischievously, knowin' already what she's gonna say.

"Ya know Mama'll have my hide if she sees me ridin' fast on my own! Besides, Blackjack is faster."

"Oh, so it's alright if Mama has _my _hide for ridin' too fast with ya?" I ask, pretendin' to be appalled. "Utter disregard for my well-bein'. I'm shocked."

Her giggles fill the air as she pushes my hat down on my head. "Not so! Ya know ya can butter Mama up like it's no one's business! Ya get away with everythin! It ain't fair!"

I just laugh an give Blackjack a lil' nudge with my boot an a quick jerk to his reins. Ain't no way I'm gonna argue with her on what she just said, b'cause it's the truth. There ain't nothin' I can't talk my way outta, and I've landed m'self in some pretty tight spots over the years. I just have a knack for knowin' what to say an how to judge a situation. An it just helps that Mama has a soft spot for me.

Ruthie's laughter rings out through the air as Blackjack races along the fenceline a the inner pasture. He's accustomed to this lil' routine a ours, an I think he likes to hear her laugh as much as I end up doin' two circles before a tug a the reins leads us into the barn.

"Thank you, Peter!" Ruthie says, hoppin down to the dirt floor. "I'll put him up an feed him for ya if ya need to get in an see what Mama wants."

"Anytime, sugar," I reply, givin' her braid a lil' tug an kissin' the top a her head. "I know that'll make Blackjack happy, ya always give him more sweet oats than I do."

She giggles an I wink at her before slippin' outta the barn to run up to the house. As usual, I bound up the steps two at a time, the board on the fourth step creakin' under my foot like it usually does. Pa is sittin' there in his rockin' chair, whittlin'away at a piece a wood.

"How's yer day, son?" he drawls, not lookin' up from his project, an I pull my hat from my head to wipe my brow on my forearm before I answer.

"Went good, Pa. Hot out there t'day, but that ain't nothin' outta the ordinary." He chuckles softly an nods. "Think I got the fence mended everywhere it was needin' it."

"That's good. Ya always been a good worker, despite yer trouble-makin' nature."

I laugh an nod, puttin' my hat back on an tippin' it. "Apple didn't fall far from the tree, huh?" He peeks from his carvin' to flash me a grin, his eyes twinklin' with mischief. Yeah, I'd heard stories about Pa in his youth. I'm just like him. "I better get in an see what Mama needs me for."

"Yep, ya better." I pat his shoulder as I walk by and just as I open the door to go in, he calls my name.

"Peter?"

"Yes, sir?" I answer, leanin' back so I can see him. Again, he took his eyes from his work to meet my gaze.

"I'm proud a ya, son."

Pa ain't the sort a man that says things just to say 'em, an I can't help but feel a sense a deep pride at hearin' him give me such a compliment. I don't take it lightly.

"Thank ya, Pa."

The smell of broth hangs heavy in the air inside the house. Mama's been keepin' it on for Mark since he came down sick a couple a days ago. It's pretty much been her an Ruthie tendin' to him, with me outside an around the ranch doin' the work the both of us normally do. 'Course I find her in the kitchen, stirrin' the pot with her brow pulled t'gether in thought an worry. She changes it quick, though, the second she knows I'm there.

"Peter, I didn't expect ya to get in so quick," she says with a weary smile. "Go get yerself washed up an I'll fix ya up a plate. It's still warm."

With a grin, I lean over an kiss her cheek, then take off my hat to hang it on one a the pegs pokin' out from the wall. "I was just finishin' up the work I had to do. Ya look like ya need to rest, Mama. I can get my plate. What did ya need me in for t'night?"

"Nah, it ain't no burden on me, let me make it for ya." Mamas will be Mamas, right? No matter how old we get, she'll always wanna take care a us. "We do need a lil' kindlin' brought in, but Mark was askin' for ya." That worry comes back to her face, but only for a second. It was enough, though.

I wrap an arm around her small shoulders an give her a squeeze in comfort. "Alright. I'll bring the wood in and get cleaned up while you're makin' my plate. Then I'll go eat with Mark." I pause, thinkin' for a second. "The sight or smell a food ain't gonna bother him, is it?"

"Nah. I think he just wants yer company. Ya always make him smile. Just don't get him too worked up, that cough is just awful when it gets started. See if ya can get him to drink some water...he's barely had anythin."

"I won't get him worked up, Mama. An I'll try with the water."

With one more kiss to her cheek, I make my way to the back door, swingin' it open an proppin' it like that with a split log. Mark is the master a splittin' wood aroun here, an he's way ahead a what most people have stored up. But still, I'll try an pick up his slack tomorrow an split some m'self since it looks like he ain't gonna be up an well just yet.

Once I get in what I know we need, I go an wash up, then change my clothes. My plate is made an waitin' for me on the kitchen table an as I pick it up, I can hear my folks talkin' in quiet tones out on the porch. "G'night!" I holler softly, knowin' I probably won't see 'em before they turn in.

"Night, Peter," they reply in unison, an I head back to my brother's room, plate in one hand an a tin of water for Mark in the other.

His door stands ajar, so I gently push it open with my bare foot, grinnin' when he turns his head to look at me. My grin fades pretty quick, though, now that I get a good look at him. I can see why Mama is worried. He looks really bad.

"Bout time ya got in here," he croaks at me an I put the grin back on my face as I sit in the chair next to his bed. Talkin' don't sound to be too easy for him.

"Someone's gotta pick up your chores around here, ya know." Settin' my supper plate on the bedside table, I hold out the tin cup for him. "Ya need to try an get this down, ya got Mama all worried about ya. Ya know how she is."

He rolls his eyes an groans as he tries to sit himself up a lil' more an takes the cup from me, sippin' at the water. "I know she worries too much. I'll be fine in a day or two."

"Ya look terrible."

"So do you. At least I'm sick," he replies with a weak smirk, makin' me laugh.

I'm supposed to be in here to cheer him up, an it's him crackin' the jokes. An I can't even turn it aroun on him like I used to, now that he's set to be married in jus a few months. I used to say we both had to be ugly since we couldn't seem to find a gal willin' to take us off our folks' hands. He found one, though, an she sure is a pretty thing.

Neither a us has ever been in a hurry to settle down an get away from home. Mark ain't even movin' too far once he's married, he's almost finished buildin' their home on the far side a the property. Our folks have been good to us, an we both know how much they need us now. How could we just leave 'em?

"Mmhm, yer jus all cocky now b'cause ya found a woman with no sense a dignity willin' to marry ya," I retort, takin' a couple bites a my supper. "That or she's got some sorta problem with her eyesight."

It's his turn to chuckle as he sips some more water, then leans his head back against his pillow. The room stays quiet for a few minutes while I eat, both a us jus content to have the company. Even though he ain't movin' far after the wedding, it'll still be somethin' to get used to not just havin' him here all the time.

"I heard the gunfire last night, Peter. Ya wanna explain why Mr. Arthur was shootin' in the air in the black a night?" he rasps quietly, quirkin' his eyebrow at me.

A wide grin curves up the corners a my mouth as I swallow the last bite a food, my gleamin' brown eyes meetin' his suspicious hazel gaze.

Mr. Aurthur is the crazy ol' coot that owns the property joinin' to the southern half a ours. He's always out hollerin' at things that ain't there, an b'lieves ghosts haunt the wheat fields on his land. I ain't gonna admit to any involvement in why he believes _that_, but I can't deny bein' the reason for his shootin' spree. He might be off his rocker, but he don't just shoot at the wind.

My grin still in place, I pull a pewter hip flask from my back pocket an present it to my brother. Crazy 'ol coot brews some a the best Whiskey ya ever tasted, an it's worth the risk a bodily harm to get a lil.

"No better medicine than that right there. If that can't knock the sickness outta ya, nothin' can," I tell him, placin' the flask in his palm.

"Yer lucky ya ain't been shot an that he ain't figured ya out yet." His scoldin' don't stop him from takin' a swig, an I chuckle as he winces at the burn. "Thanks, Peter, it does ease the misery."

"I knew it would."

I spend the next hour tellin' him all about my escapade an how I almost made it outta there free an clear until Mr. Arthur's cat got in my way. I didn't see the thing's tail swishin' out from under it's lil' hidin' spot an I stepped right on it. 'Course it screamed bloody murder an scared the life outta me, causin' me to knock over an 'ol table full a kettles an lanterns. I made it out though, with no new holes in my body, an he won't miss the lil' bit a whiskey I took no how.

By the time I finish my story, Mark's eyelids are gettin' heavy an his laughter has grown weak. Beads a sweat form on his forehead, an I hope that means his fever is breakin'. Quietly standin' to my feet, I grab my plate an return it to the kitchen before fetchin' a bucket an goin' out to get some water from the river. Blackjack don't mind givin' me a ride down there, since it means he gets to get a drink from the fresh water as well. I let him drink an get his hooves wet for a few minutes after I fill the bucket, then mount up an trot back. He gets an apple for his efforts an I slip back inside to Mark's room where he's sound asleep, grabbin' a cloth along the way.

As he sleeps, I gently wipe his brow an face with the cloth dampened in the cool water an hum one of his favorite hymns. If he were awake, he'd probably make me play it on my harmonica. Not that I would argue with him, I love playin' and singin'.


	3. Chapter 2

"Peter?" Somethin' nudges my shoulder and I groan. "Peter." It's Ruthie.

"Gimme a few more minutes, sugar," I mumble. Why am I so uncomfortable?

"Mama said come get some breakfast," she whispers. "Ya fell asleep here in Mark's room. Yer neck is gonna hurt today, ya know."

Liftin' my head, I blink my eyes, finally realizin' I'd fallen asleep leaned over on Mark's bed with my head on my arms. "Nah. I'm gonna be sore everywhere. Tell Mama I'll be out there in just a minute."

"And ya better hide that whiskey." She giggles and quietly skips from the room as I sleepily nod my head.

Mama don't take a likin' to any kind of alcohol.

After tuckin' the flask in the drawer of the bedside table, I reach up and touch the backs of my fingers to my brother's forehead. He don't feel as warm as he did the night before, and that puts a smile on my face that stays even as I greet Mama in the kitchen.

"Mornin, Mama. Mark drank 'bout half of that water last night and he ain't feelin' as feverish this mornin'. Must'a done the trick." Personally, I think it was the whiskey, but I ain't gonna tell her that.

"Does me good to hear that, Peter." She turns to put some bacon on a plate for me, her smile finally reachin' her eyes for the first time in days. "I can't bear when any of y'all are sickly."

"I know, Mama. But we're a tough bunch."

Her lighthearted laugh warms my heart as she places my hat on my head and pushes it down a lil', leanin' down to kiss my cheek. "Ya sure are." She gives my shoulders a squeeze before turnin' me loose to gather up some of her things. "I got some washin' to tend to, so I probably ain't gonna see ya before yer off to yer chores for the day. Make sure ya don't over-do yerself, I know ya been takin' up double while Mark's been ill. Drink plenty a water."

"I'll be careful, Mama, don't worry yerself too much."

"Now ya know I can't help it. I love ya, Peter."

"I love ya, too, Mama," I answer as she sweeps out the door.

Well fed and ready for the day, I head out m'self. I can see Pa standin' way out near the trail that marks the front of our land, talkin' to Mr. Arthur, who's on horseback. They both wave to me and I smile and wave back. 'Course I can see that knowin' look in Pa's expression, but it seems Mr. Arthur ain't got a clue who it was on his land. He's probably over here warnin' Pa about prowlers in these parts.

I'll probably get a talkin' to later on for that one. Pa knows it was me, but he won't be hard on me, really. He'll just remind me what it'd do to Mama if I were to get hurt doin' somethin' like that. And I'll feel bad and apologize. In fact, I think I'll bring her home some flowers from the back pasture when I come in. She loves the wildflowers that bloom there this time a year, anyway.

Gettin' down to the barn, my eyes go wide when Ruthie comes paradin' out with Blackjack. His main and tail sure do look pretty with all them braids and flowers in 'em. And my lil' sister is proud as a peacock to show 'em off. I ain't got the heart to tell her boys ain't s'posed to look so beautiful, so I just smile and grab her in a hug, twirlin' her around.

"Ain't he pretty, Peter? I worked real hard to get him all fixed up!" she asks excitedly, and I nod, lookin' over my stallion.

"He sure is, sweetpea! Downright beautiful! I'm almost jealous of my own horse!" I'm pretty sure Blackjack rolled his eyes. He's as good a sport with lil' Ruthie as I am, he'd let her do anything without a fuss.

"Ya don't gotta be jealous," she replies, smirkin'. She's got a smirk even more devilish than mine, and it has my brows lifted in question as I look at her. "I saved the prettiest one for you!" she squeals, pullin' a bright red flower from behind her back and tuckin' it into the band on my hat.

I give Blackjack a smirk, seein' the humor in his eyes. That horse is half human, I'd swear it. "Saved the best for me, b'cause I'm her favorite," I tell him, stickin' my tongue out.

Ruthie climbs up on her perch on the fence, her bright caramel eyes watchin' as I saddle up my horse, bein' careful not to disturb her hard work. "I gotta go help Mama with the washin'," she informs me, then pauses, cockin her head to the side as her freckled nose wrinkles up. "Are ya sleepin' out in the pasture again?" she asks.

"I dunno, sweetpea. Depends on the day and if Mama needs me back t'night. I think Mark might be feelin' better, so I might not be needed here."

"I need ya here! Mama won't let me sleep out in my playhouse alone, but she'd let me if ya were there with me. Please come home tonight for that? Please?" she begged, turnin' on the puppy eyes. "It's been ages since I got to sleep in it!"

My shoulders slump in defeat as I chuckle and nod my head, reachin' out to poke her freckled nose with my finger. "I think I can do that." She claps her hands t'gether excitedly and bounces in place, but I hold up a finger. "Only if ya promise I can have a piece a that candy ya got hid up under yer bed." She's had that bag since Christmas, when our Uncle William and Aunt Ida came to visit. He gave it to her secretly, but I noticed, and she's been very disciplined about eatin' just one piece now and then.

Shock registers on her adorable face for only a second before her smile takes over again and she nods happily. "I promise!" Hoppin' down from the fence, she wraps her arms around me in a tight hug. "I can't wait! Thank you, thank you, Peter! I love you!"

"I love ya, too, sweetpea. Now run on and help Mama with that washin' before she gets after the both of us."

Grinnin', I watch as she skips outta sight, then I set to gatherin' what I might need to add to the satchels on Blackjack's saddle. The most important are my two empty canteens that we'll stop by the river to fill and Pa's musket rifle that I carry with me just in case. I've only thought I'd have to use it one time since he let me start carryin' it, when a pack of coyotes got a lil' too brave for my likin', but Blackjack made enough ruckus to scare 'em off. I hope I ain't ever gotta use it for anything other than huntin'.

With all I need packed up, I mount the saddle and we trot away at a slow pace down to the river. I can't help but laugh a lil' as flowers and petals fall from his mane with each bounce, leavin' a trail behind us.

"Least we can find our way home," I chuckle, earnin' a huff from the beast beneath me.

The sun sparkles off the river through the trees, lookin' like an artist's paintin', an I find m'self admirin' it for a few minutes, until Blackjack shifts his weight impatiently. With a sigh, I slip from the saddle and tend to fillin' my canteens while he gets himself a drink, sendin' more flowers and petals into the flowin' water. Once we're done, my next chore is to head across the property to where the cattle are kept. This one is gonna take me a few hours, and I never look forward to it. The cattle is somethin' Mark usually tends to, and he don't mind it much. It's gotta be done, though.

I leave Blackjack in the shade of some trees, knowin' he ain't gonna wander off while I'm workin' and drag m'self into the barn where the stench of manure awaits.

After hours of shovellin', waterin, and feedin', then makin' sure they're all accounted for and well, I'm done. I peel my sweat-soaked shirt from my body as I trudge back out to meet my horse, and he gets a gleam in his eyes b'cause he knows we'll be goin' back to the water. I stink, and I'm hot, tired, and sore. I'm really regrettin' the way I slept last night, that's for sure. It ain't makin' today's work any easier.

Goin back to the river, I make sure my 'ol friend gets to work up a sweat, too, makin' him run to get there. Don't bother him none, though. He whinnies and kicks up his hind legs as we reach the water's edge, but I keep pushin' him until we get to a part of the river where I know I can wade out a lil' farther. The water is shallow at the edges, so it's perfect for both of us.

Sittin' down on a rock near the river bank, I kick off my boots and do my best to wash 'em up without gettin 'em soaked. Then I strip outta my pants, carryin' both them and my shirt in my hands as I wade out into the slow current, relief washin' over me with the water as it cools my heated skin. Once it reaches my waist, I just stop and sink down, lettin' it surround me. It'd be nice to not hafta come up for air, b'cause this feels so good, but air is somethin' I need, so I can't stay down more than a minute or two before I come back up and draw in a gulp of air. Blackjack is gnawin' on some long grass at the water's edge, just enjoyin' himself and the shade of the oak trees. He tends to stay outta the sun as much as he can, and thoroughly enjoys every moment of our lil' trips like this. It ain't every day I have to clean the cattle barn, after all.

I know I can't stay still too long or the will to work will be gone and it'll just be that much harder to get movin' again, so I get to scrubbin' my clothes clean of all the filth they picked up in the cattle barn. I just couldn't keep on goin' through the day with that scent burnin' my nostrils and knowin' it's comin' off of me. I ain't prissy, but I ain't disgustin' either. With all the mess cleaned out of my clothes, I make my way to the bank where the rocks are hit by the sun and lay my clothes out over 'em where they'll dry out some before I put 'em back on.

Since my clothes are dryin', I decide to stay in the water a while longer, I just keep movin' so I don't get too relaxed. I learned my lesson about two years ago for comin' outta the water and walkin' around naked as a jay bird. I can't tell ya how many times I done it before, but as my luck would have it on this particular day, one a the ranch hands had brought his wife and engaged daughter out to the cattle farm to show 'em around and let 'em meet my folks. I guess the ranch hand was wantin' to speak to Pa about his future son-in-law comin' to work for us, too. Well, while they was around the cattle, one of the cows had given birth and the calf was havin' problems, so he got busy tendin' to it and they decided on takin' a long walk along the river to escape the sights and smells. Now, I hadn't been nowhere near the cattle that day, so I had no idea we had visitors, but I had been workin' hard in the sun and this is my favorite place to come to. Needless to say, the daughter was a lil' quicker in her pace than her mother, and I was half asleep in the grass on my belly when she wandered up on me.

But it was her mama's shrieks that woke me up.

Yep. The daughter was just standin' there lookin' me over with a blush on her cheeks and her fingers to her lips. I snatched my clothes and Blackjack got my naked body outta there quicker than lightnin', but it wasn't quick enough. I wanted to just disappear under a rock at the time, and not b'cause a couple of ladies saw me naked, but b'cause I fear my folks. Honestly, the look in the girl's eyes did wonders for my ego, but low-self esteem ain't really somethin' I struggle with anyway.

I didn't go home 'till the middle of the next day, and when I did I know I looked like a dog with his head down and tail b'tween it's legs as I walked up them porch steps to meet Pa. I couldn't even look up at him, standin' there, starin' down at my boots.

"Yer gonna have extra work with the cattle 'till we hire us a new rancher," he said, just like we were havin' a normal conversation, and I risked a peek up at him only to find a slight amusement in his eyes. I felt even worse to know the rancher had quit- he was a hard worker. "Yer Mama don't know- we'll keep it that way to spare ya a real lecturin', so long as ya pull yer weight over there."

Ya can't imagine the relief I felt at knowin' that Mama was unaware of what had happened. "I will, Pa," I promised him, more than thankful to not have to face my mother. It ain't that she's scarier than Pa, but I sure hate to cause her any grief, and somethin' like that woulda caused it for sure.

"I don't doubt that ya will. Now go on inside, she's been wonderin' why ya ain't been in." I nod my head with a "yes, sir" and a heartfelt "thank you" as I reached for the door, but he stopped me with a hand to my forearm and that Montgomery smirk tuggin' at his lips. "Just so ya know, he quit b'cause his daughter lost interest in marryin' her fiance. He didn't wanna stay where there'd be risk a her seein' ya anymore."

He let go of my arm and I strolled into the house with a big 'ol grin and my shoulders back, just a lil' more proud a m'self than I shoulda been. 'Course, we never hired no one else, Mark just kinda took it over, after months of givin' me hell for losin' him his hardest worker.

Figurin' my clothes are dry enough, I get outta the water and get dressed. As I do, a list of my chores left for the day arrange themselves in my mind. I have a lot of ridin' to do since I have to go to opposite ends of our land to see how harvest is goin' for the wheat and cotton crops. Each crop is run by a tenant farmer, and both men are good, honest men with hard-workin' families. They pay us for the use of our land and we get a portion of the crop when it's harvested. Really, we don't hafta do nothin' at all, but Pa likes to keep a good relationship with the farmers, and it just makes good sense to help 'em out as often as possible since we rely on them crops as much as they do. Usually, I'll go to one while Mark goes to the other, but of course with him bein' down sick, it's up to me to check in with both.

I'm closest to the cotton fields, so after I mount up, I urge Blackjack in that direction. He's reluctant to leave the water, and I can't say I blame him. I think, when it comes time for me to settle down and start a family of my own, I'll build my place closer to the water. I really like it there.


	4. Chapter 3

Blackjack and I are greeted by a dust devil windin' across the dirt trail that breaks up the two cotton fields, but it ain't long before a more friendly greetin' heads our way, puttin' a big smile on my face. Lil' Ellie, like always, is the first to see us and she's runnin' fast as her legs will carry her t'ward us, and her brother, Henry, ain't far b'hind her.

I slide off my saddle to greet 'em, and chuckle as they nearly knock me over tryin' to hug me at the same time. It don't matter if I come out here every day, every other day, or just once in a while, they always give me the same welcome.

"Peter! May we take Blackjack for a ride?" Ellie asks excitedly and I laugh. I knew that question was comin'.

"Sure, so long as ya promise to stay within' earshot and tell me where yer Pa is at."

"Yes, sir, we promise," Henry answers. "Pa is just over the hill there with Samuel."

I look in the direction he's pointin' and before I get turned back around, both he and Ellie are up on Blackjack. "Be careful," I tell 'em, to which they nod excitedly before takin' off. Now I just gotta hope that 'just over the hill' ain't too far.

Keepin' an eye out for rattlesnakes, I walk b'tween the rows of cotton, soon toppin' the hill and lookin' down to see Jeb and Samuel restin' in the shade of one of the harvest wagons. They're both on their feet the moment they see me, though I wave my hand as if to say it ain't necessary that they get up. I think of 'em as family, after all, not employees.

See, a few years before the war, Pa and John happened to be in Galveston on the day of a slave auction. Now, the idea of buyin' a human being was somethin' that Pa just couldn't justify in his mind, and he never wanted to have any part of it, but that day somethin' caught his eye. Two lil' slave children, scared to death and clingin' to each other. John was only sixteen at the time, and they looked younger than him. They'd obviously been separated from their parents, and Pa couldn't stand the thought of 'em losin each other, too. So, he did the only thing he knew he could do right then and he bought the both of 'em t'gether.

The older of the two, the boy, was fourteen at the time and his sister was twelve. They had no understandin' of our language at all, but Pa and Mama were patient in teachin' the both of 'em and never once treated 'em any different than they did their own children. Pa said the first thing they got figured out was their names, b'cause it didn't seem right for 'em not to have names. It wasn't easy to figure out, though. The first part of the boy's name from what Pa could understand sounded like "Jeb", and so that's how he came about that name. The girl wasn't so easy, though. They felt bad they couldn't come close to pronouncin' even a part of it, but Mama sat down with her, wrote out a bunch of pretty girl names and read 'em to her over and over, pointin' to each name as she read 'em until the girl stopped Mama's hand on "Harriet". She liked that one, and it's the one she kept.

Pa said it took some time, but they eventually warmed up and began to feel safe. By the time I came along, Jeb was nineteen and the war was over. Pa made him the tenant farmer over the cotton fields and he's been here ever since. He married Liza and they had the kids, Samuel, Henry, and Ellie. Harriet eventually got married and moved away, but she still comes to visit around the holidays with her bunch of lil' ones.

I shake Jeb's hand, then Samuel's in greeting, then sit down with 'em since I know they'll stay standin' if I don't . They tell me all about how well the harvest is goin' and that it's gonna be a good crop this year. Since they don't seem to be in need of anything, I don't stay long, wantin' to be sure I got time to pick Mama some flowers and get in on time to camp with Ruthie. I still have the wheat crop to check in on.

It ain't but a few minutes before I see Blackjack some prancin' over the hill with the kids gigglin' happily, and I wave 'em over.

"Ya leavin' already?" Ellie pouts.

"I'm 'fraid so, sugar. Still got some chores to tend to before the sun goes down."

After a lil' more conversation and Blackjack gettin' a whole lot more attention, I'm off again, makin' him run to get us over to the wheat crop. Unfortunately, things ain't goin' quite so smooth there, and I spend a couple hours helpin' Mr. Moore work on some equipment that has been givin' him trouble all day. While I'm there, I sharpen the sickle blades, too. We're gonna need some new ones before next season. Mrs. Moore brings out some tea by the time I'm finishin' up, and I sit down to have a cup with 'em. Don't wanna be rude, after all.

It feels good to know that I'm makin' my way home as I mount the saddle this time, tippin' my hat to the Moores before tuggin' at the reins to turn Blackjack in the right direction. There's probably less than three hours now before sunset, and it'll take me at least half of that to get home, since I'm goin' outta my way for Mama's flowers.

The back pasture is just full of wildflowers this time of year, and Mama loves how they brighten up the kitchen. Blackjack grazes in the clover while I walk around, pickin' the prettiest ones. Doin' this kinda makes me feel like a kid again, when I used to run around and pick bunches of dandelions in the spring. Mama would encourage me to bring her the whole plant, and she'd cook the greens with supper.

As I'm pickin' flowers, I think about Ruthie and how excited she must be for our lil' camp out t'night. She loves it when either Mark or I join her in that lil' house a hers, even if it's only an hour or two. I chuckle as my mind wanders back a few weeks to when I had spent a lil' time there with her…

"PETER!" Ruthie squealed excitedly as she ran to me the moment I slid off of Blackjack and I laughed as I caught her and twirled her around. I hadn't been home since the mornin' before, and had even missed breakfast. I don't do that often, and it kinda upsets Mama when I do, somethin' that Ruthie ain't slow to remind me of. "Mama was fussin' all mornin' on account of ya stayin' out all night and missin' breakfast."

"Uh-oh," I answer, lookin' around us nervously. "Ya reckon I ought a hide out for a lil' while 'till she cools off?"

With bright eyes of conspiracy, she nodded and grabbed my hand, leadin' me back to the orchard where her lil' treehouse stood in one of the nearest trees. It is a lil' thing, too, so I had to lay on my back with my feet propped out the window, but I didn't mind it at all. The both of us giggled quietly like we'd pulled off some great escape.

"You'll be safe here," she told me, floppin' back with her head propped on my chest.

"Of course I will! I got you to protect me, right?"

She just laughed, the high pitch melody makin' me smile. "Ya big silly! Just what are ya gonna do when I ain't around to protect ya?"

"Nonsense. You'll always be around, princess," I answer matter-of-factly.

She shakes her head, her little brow lifted in challenge. "Nope. One day yer gonna need someone just as bull-headed as you are to keep ya in line.

"Is that right?"

"Um-hm. And she's gonna be-"

"Oh here we go," I blurted, cuttin' her off. "Ya know there ain't no woman that wants a crazy 'ol cowboy like me. Yer just talkin' that crazy talk again."

"Oh shush!"

"Alright. If yer so smart, then tell me about this woman that's gonna do a better job of lookin' after me than you can. I don't b'lieve it one bit." I love to give her a hard time, she always gets so animated in tryin' to set me straight.

"I'll do just that!" she chirped, wavin' her arms a lil' before crossin' 'em over her chest. "She's gonna hafta be a spitfire to keep up with ya. None a these southern belles Mama is hopin' for."

"Yeah?"

She nodded. "Yup. And you and her are gonna have all kinds of adventures and get in all kinds of trouble. And yer gonna love her and she's gonna love ya back." She paused, grinnin'. "And ya know what else?"

"What's that?"

She rolled over, her pointy elbows resting on my chest so she could look at me. "She's gonna be very beautiful. She'll have long, dark hair and pretty green eyes."

Now it's my turn to raise a brow up at her. "That's awful descriptive, sweetpea."

"That's b'cause I saw her in a dream last night."

"Well, I sure hope yer dream comes true," I answered, leanin' my head back against my arms folded behind my head. "Better than anything I've dared to dream...But why ain't ya gonna be around? This beautiful woman might need some help, ya know?"

Sadness crossed her features for a brief few seconds, and she just shrugged, shakin' her head. "I just can't be."

"We'll see about that," I replied, givin' her braid a gentle tug.

"Peter Lucus Montgomery!" Mama's angry voice rang through the orchard, makin' both our eyes go wide. "I see yer boots so I know yer hidin' up in that treehouse again!"

Ruthie and I looked at each other, both of us gettin' tickled by other's expression and laughter soon explodes from the treehouse, despite the lecture I knew I was facin'.

I find m'self grinnin' at the memory as I place the flowers I picked just above the horn of Blackjack's saddle, tyin' 'em there with a thin strap of leather. I know I owe Mama bouquets every day for all the many times I've made her worry over me, but she really appreciates when I do bring 'em to her.

Saddled up, I click my tongue and tug the reigns, my 'ol horse turnin' to start the long journey back to the house. The sun is just startin' to lower in the sky, bringin' about my favorite part of the day. The world just seems to get quieter as the sun sets, turnin' the fields so many shades of gold and amber. Usually, a mild breeze blows, givin' relief from the heat of the day, and that's just how it is tonight. I ain't makin' Blackjack rush, since I think he likes this part of the day as much as I do.

We've got about half an hour of ridin' to do along the fenceline before we reach home, and I'll still be there before dark. I think Ruthie and I will eat supper in the treehouse, if she ain't already eaten. I chuckle at the thought that she's probably gonna be waitin' on me with plates made.

The fenceline I'm ridin' runs even with the woods for a good space. It happens to be the best stretch to have to do any repair on, since the trees provide shade during the day. But they've also provided cover for a man who steps into view about a stone's throw in front of me. Blackjack comes to a dead halt, rearin' back a lil' an stompin' th ground. It's unusal for him to do that, an I got a bad feelin' about this character.

"Shh," I whisper to Blackjack, pattin' his neck as I slide off the saddle, bringin' my rifle with me and proppin' it on my shoulder. "Can I help with ya somethin', sir? This here is private land."


	5. Chapter 4

Blackjack is shiftin' nervously on his hooves, like he wants to get outta here right now. I ain't never felt nervous just by the presence of a man, but there's somethin' off with the one standin' out in front of me. His head turns slightly toward the woods, and he nods once. Just glancin', I don't see who he might be talkin' to, and when my gaze meets his again, he smirks.

"I think ya need to leave," I tell him, droppin' the gun from my shoulder to my palm.

I didn't see him move. I know I didn't blink, but in the flash of an instant he stands in front of me, his hands tearin' the rifle from my hands and tossin' it away. My heart is poundin' in my chest as I look up at him, into empty, black eyes and a mockin' sneer.

This ain't a man at all. I don't know what he is...maybe a demon.

I wince as his long, cold fingers wrap around my wrist and with his other hand he uses his fingernails to slice my palm. His eyes never leave mine, and I'm too terrified to blink. All I feel is the stingin' pain from the slices on my palm, then the fur of my horse under it as he slaps my hand down on his side, leavin' a streaked handprint of blood.

"Tell him to go home," he growls, but I can't seem to find my voice. His lip curls up to reveal a fang as he snarls. "Tell him or I'll gut him in front of ya!"

No. No I can't let that happen!

"G-go on, boy," I order, givin' a whistle and a click of my tongue with a nudge to his rump. He knows the command and the sound, obeyin' immediately. It's somethin' I taught him...If I'd ever got injured, I could send him home and my brother would know to come lookin' for me. Now I wonder what'll be left of me to find. Blackjack trots away, stoppin' look back. "Go," I tell him again, repeatin' the whistle and click. He goes, and it's like I feel my heart drop to the soles of my boots as I watch him disappear over the hill.

I'm gonna die.

That's the last thought I have before the demon's cold hand captures my throat and the world around me goes dark.

Screams.

Noise.

Growls.

Light flickers from a small flame in a dark room as I blink my eyes and groan. As much as I want this to be a nightmare I'm wakin' up from, the pain in my hand and the dirt floor I'm layin' on lets me know I ain't that lucky.

Just as I get my eyes to focus and start to sit up, a loud crash to my left has me scramblin' backwards to get outta the way of two snarlin' men that have made a hole in the wall they just came crashin' though. They're tearin' at each other like animals until a familiar form joins them with a deafenin' roar.

Out. I need to get out!

Seein' the openin' they left in the wall, I scramble toward it as the one who brought me here takes the head off of one of the other men. The head rolls to a stop at my feet as I pause at the openin', but I only pause for a second before I throw myself through it and run.

I have no idea where I am or where I'm goin', I just know I gotta get away.

My efforts are in vain, though. Within seconds, I find m'self face down on the dirt with a knee bein' painfully pressed to the center of my spine and my arms pulled back.

"Where do ya think yer goin'?" the demon snarls, jerkin' me to my feet.

"Let me go!" I gotta say, by now I'm consumed by terror, and I ain't even sure it's all my own. I ain't never felt fear like this before.

He guides me to another small wooden cabin that he kicks the door open to and shoves me inside. 'Course I fall, then scramble to the wall farthest from him.

"Go where?" he asks.

"Home. I just wanna go home!" I shout, then clamp my hands over my ears as another scream rings out through the air.

He laughs at me, then grabs my arms, pullin' my hands from my ears as he snarls in my face. "Run again and I'll be sure ya ain't got nothin' to go home to."

And just like that, he's gone again.

This is hell. I've woke up in hell and there's no way to get out. I ain't cried since I was just a boy, but in this moment it's all I can do, curlin' myself against the wall until exhaustion wins out.

It's quiet when I wake up again, and the faint light of mornin' filters through the cracks in the walls. My body is sore and aching from head to toe and my hand is swollen. Though I'm scared to make any noise and summonsing that demon again, I slowly push m'self up to a sittin' position against the wall, grittin' my teeth to keep from groanin'.

I need to get my head t'gether...gain my composure and focus. Try to make sense of all of this. I run the fingers of my uninjured hand through my hair, for the first time realizin' that I've lost my hat.

Great.

I freeze at the sound of approachin' footsteps, my achin' muscles growin' tight in anticipation of what might walk through the door, but after a brief pause the footsteps continue on and fade away. My head is poundin' and I feel sick to my stomach, but I know I ain't got a thing in it to come up if I were to vomit, so I just rest my head back against the wall, tryin' to squelch the feelin'.

Not too sure how long I've been sittin' here, but after a while, my stomach settles and I dare to quietly get to my feet. I don't know what to do, I just know I ain't gonna sit here and wait for somethin' bad to happen all day. So very quietly, I make my way across the small room and peek out through one of the cracks, but it's hard to see anything at all.

My throat is dry. I need some water and food would be good, too. If he kills me for steppin' outside, then at least this nightmare will be over. Steelin' my nerves, I give the heavy wooden door a push and timidly step out into the mornin' air. There ain't a cloud in the sky this mornin', and I have to squint as I take in my surroundings. I'm standin' in front of a tiny house that is one of many linin' the street of what looks to be an 'ol ghost town. I say ghost town, b'cause there ain't another soul in sight. Did they just leave me here, or is this some kinda test to see if I'll try and run again? He threatened my family, and I got a good idea that bastard don't make empty threats, so I ain't goin' nowhere.

I begin to walk, slowly, keepin' aware of my surroundings. Not that I'd have any warnin' if he were to attack me, but I guess it's just my nature. I don't like to be caught off guard.

I hear the creak of a door and stop dead in my track to watch as two men come out of a saloon just ahead and to the left side a the road. Both their faces snap in my direction and I swallow thickly as I realize the two have the same demonic appearance of the man from last night. One lifts his nose to the air, inhalin' deeply, and even from this distance I can hear the deep growl that begins to rumble in his chest. My heart goes to poundin' again, and just as it looks like he's about to move, the other grabs his shoulder to stop him. That brings a snarl from my would-be attacker t'ward the one that stopped him, but that one just shakes his head and says somethin' I can't hear or make out. The one who wanted to come after me nods, then turns to glare at me.

What did I do?

"I do not know what my amante finds so promising in you, esclavo." I jump at the sudden voice, even though the tone is melodic and sensual. It belongs to a dark-headed woman whose features match her heavy Spanish accent. I ain't exactly fluent in Spanish, but I'm pretty sure she just called me a slave. She hops over the rail of the porch she's standin' on with fluid grace to approach me and I find m'self takin' a step back without even thinkin' about it. Her eyes are every bit as black as _his_, only they seem to hold even more evil, if that's possible. I shiver as her fingertips trail my jaw, my breath catchin' in my throat. "Perhaps I will yet convince him to let me have you."

I don't like the sound of that at all. I just get the feelin' that goin' from his charge to hers would be like goin' from the fryin' pan to the fire.

"He'll be of value."

The simple reply in the low, raspy tenor of the demon I encountered last night breaks the silence as he steps onto the porch she just came from, rolling the sleeves of his shirt.

"Oh, I don't know, guapo," she replies, never takin' her eyes from mine. They sparkle with wicked mischief as her fingers trail down my shoulder, her hand reachin' my injured one. "He seems...weak."

I gasp as she squeezes my hand and a shock of burnin' pain rolls up my arm, but I refuse to cry out, grittin' my teeth, which makes her lift a brow and the demon behind her chuckles.

"All humans are weak. _He_ has character." He hops over the rail with the same fluid grace she did, but stops short, glarin' t'ward the saloon. I chance a look to see the two from before, this time both lookin' like they wanna come after me. His low growl stops 'em, though, and the woman laughs softly, turnin' loose a my bleedin' hand. She licks my blood from her fingers before turnin' to face the demon whose eyes are trained on the two across the way. "Ya told me my first charge was mine to call all the shots on, Maria. Makin' him bleed in front of the unstable newborns ain't exactly my call."

It seems he feels as though the other two ain't gonna move, so his gaze moves from them to her as she lays her hand upon his chest. "I did promise you, mi amor. I will not interfere any farther with your human. I do hope you're right about him, but if not," she leans closer and he inclines his ear to her, though her whisper is plenty loud enough for my hearin', "promise to share his blood with me. It is exquisite."

A smirk curves his lips and he traces his nose along her jaw whisperin' back an "I promise" that has my gut turnin' again. I really feel like I'm in a lose-lose battle here. There ain't no way out, and no good option to choose.

He watches her until she disappears back into the house they'd both come out of, then turns back to me. He almost looks annoyed as he glances down at my hand.

"Yer gonna need to get that cleaned up. Ya ain't of no use to me if ya get sick." I feel like tellin' him it's his own fault I even have the injury at all, but I keep my mouth shut. Somehow I know that speakin' my mind at this point would only hurt me more. "C'mon."

I follow him, holdin' my injured hand that is now throbbin' with pain to my chest and tryin' to breathe normally. He turns to follow a path that cuts b'tween two buildings and I keep up, holdin' my breath as the stink of death suddenly fills my nostrils. Lookin' around, my eyes soon find the source and I gag at the sight of two decayed bodies layin' beside one a the buildings. He don't seem to be bothered at all, and I still hold my tongue and my breath until we're a good distance away.

We don't stop until we reach a well, to which he gestures, then walks away like he has somethin' better to do. I can think of all sorts of things I'd like to call him right now, and I'd feel better if I could just throw a rock at his head, but instead I just go to work lowerin' the bucket into the well. It's a deep one, and only bein' able to use one hand, it takes me some time to draw the full bucket back up, but I manage.

The first thing I do is get a long drink of water, and that alone eases the poundin' in my head and some of the ache from my muscles. At this point, I woulda drank water with wiggletails in it, but I'm thankful the water is clean and cold. I wince as I pour it over my hand, rinsin' the dirt from the wounds there. It's bright red, swollen, and feels fevered. That ain't good at all, I know. He said I'd be no use to him if I got sick, and if this gets much worse I'll be sick for sure. At first, that might sound like a good thing. He'll kill me and I'll be done with this hell. But the thought of bein' "shared" with that demoness...I ain't too keen on that.

My shirt tail will hafta do for a bandage after I tear it off, wrappin' it around my hand. I get another drink, since I don't know how long it'll be before I get to again, then stand to look around. A whistle catches my ears and I look to see him on horseback not too far away, and he waves me over. When I reach him, he simply instructs me to keep up, and nudges the horse with his heel.

I know he knows how I feel about this. I can tell by his accent he's from these parts like I am, and that means he knows a cowboy ain't made for walkin', we're made for ridin'. But I get the feelin' it ain't his concern to make life easy on me.

"Ya don't like me very much," he observes aloud, not takin' his eyes from the path before him.

"Can ya blame me?" I retort, probably with a lil' too much venom in my voice.

He just chuckles without humor, turnin' his black gaze on me. "I haven't even begun to give ya reason to hate me yet."

That's what I was afraid of. This is gonna get a whole lot worse before it gets better. And who's to say it'll ever get better? Maybe it'll just get worse and worse 'till I die or he kills me- or one of these other demons kills me.

"What are you?"

The question rolls quietly from my lips before I really get to think about whether I wanna ask it out loud or not.

He don't seem to be bothered, though, turnin' his eyes back to the trail leadin' through the woods as he answers. "I'm what ya would call a vampire."

I stop in my tracks at his answer, but he rides on without lookin' back, lettin' me soak in his statement. Vampires are just a part of scary stories we tell around campfires, they ain't real. They can't be. Though when my mind flashes back, I remember with perfect clarity the sight of his fang under a curled lip.

Snappin' outta my shock, I hurry to catch up to him. "But...yer out in the daytime.."

"Folklore. Legends don't get everythin' right," he explains. "We prefer night, but the sun don't do us no harm, only shows us for what we truly are."

Now that I think about it, both he and the woman look somewhat more human in the shade than they did standin' in the sunlight. The sun made their eyes darker, tinged with deep red and their skin an even more ghostly pale.

"What do ya want with me?"


	6. Chapter 5

He never answered my question. We come to a clearin' in the trees, and all the activity around it stops at his appearance, every eye turnin' to him as a reverent silence settles over the crowd. Every one of 'em is like him, both males and females. As quick as they stopped their activity and looked to him, they notice me in the next second and all hell breaks loose.

Somethin' hits me, sendin' me flyin' about ten feet through the air. I land on my back, the wind gettin' knocked outta me from the impact, but the deafenin' roars has my attention more than that, my hands comin' to my ears to try and block out the sound. Gaspin' for air, I manage to scramble backwards and look at the scene I was just thrown from. The demon had gone from my attacker to my protector. It was him that pushed me back, and it's him that now stands b'tween me and several snarlin' monsters.

As his fingers flex and curl into fists at his sides, one-by-one terror fills the eyes of each vampire and they cower away, losin' interest in me as if I ain't there at all. He holds some kinda power over 'em, that much is obvious, and the look in their eyes makes me glad I ain't on the receivin' end of it.

"Get up," he snarls with his face turned enough so I know he's talkin' to me. My chest hurts from where he shoved me, but I can breathe now, so I get to my feet. My hand is back to throbbin' again, and as I start to walk t'ward him, I look at it just to see that it's bleedin' again. "Stop," he hisses just as someone from the crowd groans, then there's a flurry of action my eyes can't keep up with. It ends with yet another headless body lyin' at his feet

I gotta look away. The sight just turns my stomach.

"Anyone else wanna decide they can't control their bloodlust?" he growls, scannin' the others. They back even farther away, some of 'em actually shakin' their heads in response. "Get over here." Again, I know he's talkin to me, so I move again. He kneels by the body at his feet, tearin' away a big square of the shirt on the body and usin' it to soak up some of the clear fluid drainin' from the severed neck.

I think I'm gonna be sick…

"Gimme yer hand."

"Wh-what?" Why does he want my hand?

"I ain't accustom to repeatin' m'self," he answers, standin' to his feet and holdin' out his hand for me to put mine in.

I swallow back the bile risin' in my throat and place my shakin' hand in his. The damp cloth feels cold against my skin at first, but then it starts to burn just like he poured whiskey on it. I grit my teeth and look down at my hand, my eyes widenin' as I watch the swellin' and redness go away and the wounds heal. As they do, the burn fades to a tingle then disappears completely.

"What's yer name?" he asks, tossin' the cloth down on the body.

"Peter," I breathe out, still intrigued with my hand.

He nods once and turns to face the others. "This here is Pete. I know damn well he's human, but he's in trainin' and under my protection. Ya charge him like this bastard did, and you'll end up just like him," he says, givin' the body a kick just for effect. "If ya actually hurt him or kill him, I promise I'll make ya understand just how long I can make death last for ya. Am I understood?" Replies come back in mutters and nods, bringin' a deep growl from his chest. "AM I UNDERSTOOD?"

"Yes, Major!" His roar brings about an almost unison reply from the roughly fifteen gathered around, and he nods in satisfaction.

Major. That's a title, not a name. And what did he mean that I'm in trainin'? Trainin' for what? And why does that give me such an uneasy feelin'?

I have so many questions swirlin' around in my mind and I'm still lookin' at my hand, so I don't even notice that he's mounted his horse again. I do look up when I hear a match strike, and it's just in time to see the body on the ground ignite into flames as he drops it.

"This is the third soldier in two days. I don't need to lose any more of ya before the battle t'night so I suggest ya focus all yer energy on gettin' prepared." Battle? That just puts even more questions in my head, but I don't get to say nothin' before the two from the saloon come ridin' up, each on a horse. They must be important. He turns his horse to face 'em an nods in greetin'. "Make sure they get fed."

"Yes, sir," the two answer t'gether.

I'm more confused than I've ever been in my life, but I stumble off after the one I only know as "Major" as he rides away, assumin' I'm still s'posed to stay with him. The two on horseback glare at me as I pass by 'em, and again I wonder just what I did to make 'em ill at me. I don't wanna be here anymore than it seems they want me here.

We're headed back t'ward the lil' town, on the same trail we followed out into the woods, so I figure maybe now's a good time to get some questions answered. I hate not knowin' what the hell I've been dragged into.

"So, is Major the name ya go by? Is that what I call ya?" I ask, lookin' up at him.

No matter what he's doin', he carries himself with dignity and an air of authority like no one I've ever seen. Back straight and chin up, there ain't no mistakin' that he's the one in charge around here. I can see a small smirk curl the corner of his lips before he opens his mouth to answer, but he don't bother lookin' down at me to do so.

"Callin' me anythin' else wouldn't be wise." Alright then. "Major Whitlock is also acceptable."

I nod my head, continuin' on for a few steps before I speak again. "Am I right in assumin' that's a title and not yer name?"

He nods, still lookin' straight ahead. "Ya are. It was my title in the war, before Maria changed me."

The war. The war? "The Civil War?" I ask aloud.

"Yup. I was the youngest Major in the Texas Cavalry. The title just kinda stuck with me."

My eyebrows shoot up at the new information. "My Pa and my oldest brother served in the war. Pa came home injured and my brother didn't come home at all."

His face angles t'ward me slightly, one brow raised. "Last name?"

"Montgomery."

He nods, returnin' his gaze to the trail. "I remember. It was only a few days before I was changed. I was the one that signed the orders to send yer Pa home. John Montgomery Sr."

I stop, just kinda in shock. "How?" That's all I manage to mutter.

"What do ya mean, how?"

"That was over twenty years ago, and ya had to be at least in yer early twenties at the time…" He barely even looks twenty now, physically.

Givin' a tug to the reigns of his horse, he turns the beast sideways to stop and look back at me. "I was nineteen at the time, actually. I told ya, youngest Major. And we don't age, that's why I don't look no different."

With a nudge of his boot, the animal turns again to continue on it's path and I hurry to catch up. I have more questions, a lot more, but we've got back to the town and my stomach growls, kinda speakin' for me.

"I can't be bothered to worry about feedin' ya, I assume yer capable of findin' yerself somethin' to eat?" he says, annoyance in his tone. I can't help that I gotta eat. I just nod, lookin' around at all the different buildings on the street, one of 'em bein' a lil' general store. I ought a be able to find somethin' there. "Good. Yer free to roam about the city, but I suggest ya stay outta this place here," he points to the home he and Maria had come outta earlier, "an the place above the saloon. That belongs to my two officers." Lookin' at both places, I nod my head in understandin'. "The stables are at the far end of the street. I'm puttin' ya in charge of tendin' to the horses to start with , and ya can begin by puttin' mine away for me."

He dismounts, then places the reigns in my hand. I just look at them, then back at him in disbelief as he walks away, up the steps to the house where he stays. "Ya ripped me away from my home to be a stable hand?"

He stops, a low growl rumblin' in his chest as he looks at me over his shoulder. "I _said_ that's where yer startin'. One thing ya better learn quick is that I don't like to be questioned. This is yer only warnin'. Now go."

There's a finality behind his warnin', and I ain't gonna push any farther to see what'll happen if I do. I don't even wanna dare ask if his horse has a name, so I just give the reigns a tug and lead the animal down the street to where he said the stables would be. Inside, there are four stalls, three of 'em empty, and a young red stallion in the fourth. I assume the biggest, most well kept stall belongs to the Major, and I open the door, leadin' his horse in. At least he's got me doin' somethin' I'm familiar with.

Pattin' the horse on the neck, I exit the stall and make sure the door is latched, then head out to see if I can find somethin' to fill my belly before I faint. Once I've eaten, I can come back and take care of the stables.

From the looks of the general store, it ain't been long since people occupied this lil' town. The fresh vegetables and fruit they have ain't spoiled yet. I shudder at the thought, thinkin' what a nightmare it must have been for the people when these monsters took over. Did they kill everyone? I can only assume that they did. The Major didn't strike me as one that would just let people get away, and that demoness of his was even worse.

I keep my meal simple, findin' some smoked ham and fryin' it up over a fire behind the store with some chopped potato and onion. It does my belly good to have somethin' in it, givin' me the strength I'll need to go on and get through the rest of the day. It had been far too long since I'd last eaten.

As I walk back through the store, somethin' catches my eye that stops me on a dime. There near the register is a box and it's filled with small cloth bags, just like the one Ruthie had hidin' under her bed full of candy she'd promised me a piece of. My eyes sting with tears as I slowly walk over and pick one up, tracin' my thumb over the words printed on the bag.

I let her down. I never showed up, and I'm probably never gonna see her again. It kills me to think the last thing I ever did was disappoint her.

Wipin' the tear that escaped my eye from my cheek, I tuck the lil' bag in my pocket and leave the store to go take care of the horses.

All four horses are there when I get back, and I feel some relief that their owners seem to have gone. The stalls need to be shoveled, but the first thing I do is take a walk around the pasture at the back of the stables to be sure the fence is secure and there ain't no weeds growin' that might be dangerous for 'em to eat.

It don't take no time to check it all out, and everythin' is as it should be. I kinda figured. These horses probably belonged to folk that lived here, and everythin' is in good shape. So work with that done, I open the door at the back of the stables to let them out, and all but the red one ain't slow to trot out.

Cockin' my head to the side I approach him slowly. "Don't ya wanna get out there and stretch yer legs?" As I reach his side, I gently pet his neck. He looks nervous, but not totally uncomfortable with me bein' so near him. "C'mon, buddy," I murmur, stretchin' my arm out across his neck to urge him to back outta the stall. Slowly but surely, I get him out and he kicks up his legs once he's out in the open, makin' a lap or two around the pasture.

I just chuckle, watchin' him for a minute before I go back in to shovel out the stalls. The only one that don't need much work is the Major's stall. He's either kept it up himself or had someone do it. Either way, I'd wager he knows a lil' about horses. That gives us somethin' in common.

I had noticed a creek runnin' along the edge of the pasture, so I grab a couple of buckets to haul some water in. It takes me a good couple of hours, but I manage to get the water trough inside full, then fill up their food troughs with fresh hay. They've got oat buckets in their stalls, so I set about to find the oats, and that's when I stumble upon the sleepin' quarters above the stables. There's a bed and a lantern and a table with a chair.

Seems like a good place to make mine- as far away from the Major, Maria and his officers as I can get.

Since I can't find any oats in the stable, I d'cide to take a walk back down to the store. There'll be a bag there for sure in the feed supplies.

Just as I turn t'ward the door, somethin' takes my legs out from under me and I land on my back. I'm gettin' real tired of endin' up like this…


	7. Chapter 6

Much to my dismay, I find m'self lookin' up into the face a one of the Major's officers, an he's snarlin' at me. I'd really like to know just what I did to piss these bastards off so much, an if this one thinks I'm jus gonna cower down, he's mistaken. I'm tired a bein' pushed aroun, an if I understood the Major right, he's outta line right now.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I ask through gritted teeth, glarin' up at him.

He looks a lil' surprised by my reaction, but quickly covers his surprise an growls, givin' my face a smack.

"Watch yer tone, human." My teeth clamp down even tighter as it takes an unbelievable effort to hold my tongue. "I don't have any idea what it is the Major is doin' wastin' his time on ya, but ya better understand the chain a command aroun' here an don't forget it."

Is he serious, or does he just have a warped sense a humor only he understands? I'm pretty sure that I understand that I'm a human among monsters. I'm not the low man on the totem pole, I ain't even _on_ the totem pole. How could this jackass even feel threatened by me?

"Get off a me."

Bold, I know, but did I mention I'm gettin' tired a bein' pushed around? An knowin' ain't none of 'em s'posed to mess with me helps a lil'.

"You little insect, I could end you in a heartbe-"

"Then do it!" I yell, cuttin' him off. If he thinks I'm gonna live my life aroun here cowerin' in fear every time he walks in a room, he's got another thing comin'. "I don't know or care what yer problem is! I didn't ask to be here, an I sure as hell ain't gonna cater to yer power trip, so if that pisses ya off so bad, go ahead an kill me! Then _you _can answer to the Major as to why I'm dead."

I've made him so mad, his fist is balled an he's got a hand to my throat that's gettin' kinda uncomfortable, but I ain't blinkin' or lookin' away.

With a snarl, he vanishes from over me, stoppin' the doorway to speak on his way out.

"Better watch yerself, cowboy."

Without so much as a sound, he's gone, and I roll my eyes an rub my throat as I sit up. "Bastard. Go suck an ass." Gettin' to my feet, I groan. My muscles are protestin', achin' an sore. If I get thrown down one more time, I'm gonna lose my mind.

Dustin' m'self off, I do my best to shake off my irritation an go back to doin' what I was doin', an leave the stables to walk back up to the lil' store. On my way through I pick up some lye soap an fresh clothes, since my trousers have a big rip in the leg 's a feed supply room near the back a the store, so I go back there an grab a bag a oats, gruntin' as I throw it over my shoulder an take it back to the stables.

The horses are well aware a the sound a oats bein' poured into a bucket, an they come runnin', nippin' at each other when they almost get stuck in the door comin' in.

"Been a while, has it?" I chuckle, watchin' as they bury their snouts in their buckets. Turnin' my attention back to the red one, I walk over an gently scratch b'hind his ear as he eats. I wonder if he belongs to anyone in particular aroun here, or if he's even been broken yet. He _is_ young.

Givin' him one more pat to the head, I pick up the clothes an soap I just got and go out to see if I can't find a deep spot in that creek somewhere. I don't hafta walk too far before the creek turns an winds into the trees, an it's in there where it bends, the water bein' a good four foot deep in the bend. There's even a rock near the side I can set my clothes on.

The water is cool, but after the night an day I've had, it feels just right. Add soap, an I almost feel like a new man. Well, apart from the big bruise on my chest I musta got when the Major pushed me. Bein' out here in the water is the only real peace I've had, almost feels like a normal day for me, but I know how far from the truth that is.

In fact, I'm reminded absolutely a that very fact by a feminine growl from b'hind me. I'm up to my waist in the water, but I still sink down as I turn quickly to see who has joined me.

"Don't hide on account a me, handsome," purrs a petite blonde with bright red eyes. She's perched on a low branch of a tree over the creek, one leg swingin' below her so her toes skim the water.

How long has she been there?

"Uhm...I ain't accustomed to havin' company when I bathe, miss." I don't really know what else to say. She ain't s'posed to be here, right now, that much I'm sure of. I'm tryin' to keep my calm, but I know my eyes widen a bit when she slides from the tree into the water. "Ain't ya s'posed to be with the others?" She only smirks, movin' t'ward me through the water. "I'd hate for ya to get in trouble, sugar."

"Aren't ya just the sweetest?" She's stood right in front a me now, and I'm lookin' up at her, probably lookin' as nervous as I feel. I know she is aware a the Major's warnin', but I get the feelin' these vampires struggle with behavin' themselves sometimes. She lowers herself in the water, bringin' her wet fingertips to trail across my cheek. "You're so soft and warm. I forgot what that feels like. When I feed, I'm too caught up in the bloodlust to _really _notice."

"Oh." Yep. I'm jus that much of a genius, that "oh" is the only reply I can make. I wanna back away from her, but I can't. Her eyes, though blood red, are pullin' me in like a moth to a flame. I can't look away an I can't move. Apparently I can't even speak, I done proved that.

"It's not really fair, you know," she murmurs, runnin' her cold fingers through my hair. "The officers, even the Major gets rewarded, but we rarely do. And then he parades a treat like you out in front a us, expecting us to control our urges."

"I- not a treat- don't wanna be-" What the hell am I even sayin'?! I can't think straight, and when I try to talk I feel like I've had a few too many swigs a whiskey! What is she doin' to me?

She giggles softly, sendin' a chill a terror up my spine as she brushes her nose to my throat an inhales, then exhales with a growl.

"I've had to deal with ya one too many times, Olivia."

Just like that, the spell is broken at the deep tenor a the Major's voice. I slump down in the water tryin' to collect m'self as she's instantly gone and standin' on the bank.

"I was only curious! I'm sor-"

"SHUT UP!" She cowers down, droppin' her head, an her entire body trembles as he walks a slow circle around her. "If I didn't need numbers t'night…" There's a slight relief in her eyes, but that quickly vanishes when he grabs her by the throat and lifts her from the ground. "Ya have the battle tonight to prove yer worth to me. Now get outta my sight!"

I flinch as he throws her down, but I can't even see her land, she's gone jus that quick. I just ain't used to seein' a woman treated like that, not at all.

"She's just a girl, do ya really gotta be so rough?"

With a scowl he turns to me, like he's appalled I dare speak against his actions. "Jus a girl, huh? That _girl _was about a heartbeat away from sinkin' her fangs in yer throat. Don't make assumptions by what ya see, she was about to drain ya." I ain't gonna argue with him, she was freakin' me out, after all. "I want ya in before we leave t'night, so quit playin' in the water an get in."

What am I, a toddler?

"Watch the attitude," he tells me as he starts to walk away.

I ain't said a word!

Once he's gone I get outta the water an get dressed, grumblin' the whole time. So much for feelin' a bit better. Now I just feel like some sort a child bein' babysat by a nightmare man-nanny with fangs.

"Be in before dark, lil Petey," I grouse, pullin' my boots on an sulkin' all the way back to the stables. Hell, if he's gonna treat me like a child, I can sure be childish.

He's waitin' on me in the stables, but he don't turn to look at me or say anythin' right away, he's jus standin' like a statue with it's arms crossed, facin' his horse's stall. Poor 'ol Red is backed up as far in the corner a his stall as he can get, farthest from the Major. I lean on my arms against the side a the stall an mutter, "I know how ya feel."

"Ya know, if I didn't have some purpose for ya, you'd already be dead," he tells me, an now it's me that don't bother to turn an look at him.

Like that's s'posed to make me feel better or somethin'. Screw him an his purpose.

"Yeah, an the problem with that is I jus don't know if I'd actually be better off dead, since I ain't got any idea what ya want with me, an so far, this experience ain't been all sunshine an buttercups." I figure he's payin' a bit more attention in my direction now since Red is backin' up into the wall even more, but I still don't bother lookin'. "So you'll hafta pardon me if I don't kiss yer boots in appreciation."

I swear I hear a low chuckle, but I can't be sure if it's in humor or that he can't b'lieve I'd have the gall to speak to him like that. I gotta settle on the latter, though, when he grabs me by the back a the neck an jerks me away from the stall jus to shove me down to the ground.

That's it. I've had all I can take, and without thinkin', I grab the thing closest to me which happens to be a pitchfork, an I take a stab at him as I get up. It's like runnin' into a brick wall, an his laughter is mockin' as he grabs it outta my hands. With moves too quick for me to follow, he's swept my feet out from under me an pinned me to the ground with his boot on my chest. As if that ain't enough, he smirks down at me before pullin' the pitchfork back.

I'm a dead man…

He stabs it down, a tine on either side a my neck, then leans down, pushin' the tines into the ground until the metal presses against my throat. My hands grasp desperately at the tines, though the effort is futile.

"If not for me havin' a purpose, you'd already be changin' by Maria's bite an yer lil' family I took ya from woulda made a meal for me an my officers. Yer lil' sister is jus Raymond's type, ya know." As much as that pisses me off, I'm feelin' dizzy by the pressure on my throat, gaspin' for air. "It ain't too late for me to exercise that option if I decide ya ain't worth my time."

With that, he jerks the pitchfork from the ground an I roll to my side, wheezin' an coughin'. If I had nothin' to lose, I'd tell him where he can shove his threats, but he's got the one thing I love more than anythin' to hold over my head- my family- an I won't risk them. He knows I won't. I just stay there on the dirt floor, slightly curled on my side and gettin' my breath back. My eyes are closed an I wish I could do the same with my ears. I don't wanna look at him or speak to him anymore t'night.

I just wanna be left alone.

"Ya did a good job on the stables," he says, as if nothin' happened at all, then I feel somethin' light hit my side and fall in front a me. "I'd get rid a the flower if I were you."

Slowly openin' my eyes, I look down to see somethin' layin' on the ground in front of me, an I gotta blink a few times to clear my vision. I almost can't believe my eyes when they focus on my hat, an I push myself up as quick as I can to pick it up from the dirt. There in the band is the now half-withered, red carnation that Ruthie had stuck in there yesterday mornin'. That feels like it was ages ago, not just yesterday.

"Thank you," I croak, but upon lookin' around, I see he's already gone.

I ain't gettin' rid a the flower. I'll hold onto the thing 'till it turns to dust if I can, which means it can't stay in my hat.

Knowin' right where to put it, I push my sore body up from the ground an climb the ladder up to what's gonna be my room. Very gently, I remove the flower from the band an place it in the drawer a the bedside table. It ought to be safe there, at least for a while. Lookin' at my hat in my hands, I gotta think that the Major an I got more in common than even I would like to admit. He understood how much it would bother me when he threatened to kill my horse, and he seems to tend to his own horse well, an he understands the value of a cowboy's hat. Bein' without it t'day just made things worse, especially durin' those trips b'tween the stables an the creek.

Maybe I ought to start playin' up to what we got in common instead of focusin' all my energy on hatin' the bastard. Might end up makin' my life a lil' easier...who knows.

With a sigh, I leave my hat on the bed to walk across the room an open the wooden double doors that open to a small balcony over the barn's main doors. The sun is startin' to disappear over the horizon, an I'm just exhausted enough to call it a night. With the doors open, there's a cool breeze windin' through that'll make for a restful sleep.

I hope.


	8. Chapter 7

I barely remember layin' down, I think I was sound asleep before I even got the quilt pulled up properly. An I was dead to the world until some ungodly screamin' wakes me sometime in the middle a the night.

I don't wanna know. I _know _I don't wanna know, yet I kick the quilt away an stumble from the bed to the open doors, rubbin' the sleep from my eyes. All I wanted was a full night a sleep. Can't these fanged monsters do whatever they do where I can't hear 'em?

When I look out, I'm kinda surprised I can hear 'em. They're a good ways up the street, right in the middle of it and illuminated by the glow of a fire. The Major stands near a woman that's down on her knees, and across from her is a male, also on his knees. I got to strain my eyes to see, but it looks like she's missin' an arm. It had to be her screams that woke me, but now she's just kinda swayin' an cryin' an the man is strugglin' to get up, but there's somethin' keepin' him from doin' it. I can't hear what they're sayin', but there's a conversation goin' on b'tween him an the Major. Whatever he says, the Major don't look satisfied, an with a swift move, the woman is missin' her other arm. Her screams rip through the air once again as he drops the arm into the flames. The man goes to talkin', lookin' now like he's spillin' his whole life's story an the life story a anyone that he knows just to appease the Major.

As the woman's screams fade, I'm able to hear more screamin' comin' from the saloon, though it's muffled. It turns my stomach to even think about what's goin' on over there.

I put my focus back on the Major an the scene where he's at, only to find him lookin' right at me. His gaze stays locked to mine as he lifts a hand to his side to gesture to someone I can't see yet. My brows pull t'gether, wonderin' what he's doin, but my curiosity is answered when one a his officers comes outta the darkness an shoves another woman, who stumbles to a stop in front of the Major. I recognize right away that it's the blond from the creek- the one that was s'posed to prove herself.

From what I can tell, she's pleadin', but it falls on deaf ears as he turns his gaze from mine to her. Everythin' like this that I've witnessed, he's done so fast I ain't been able to see, but it ain't so with her. He shakes his head slowly, as if lettin' her see his disappointment, his hands slowly trailin' up her arms in a caress, only to end with his hands on either side of her head. From here, it don't look like anythin' is happenin', but she's soon shriekin' in pain an graspin' uselessly at his arms. Then with one more flex a his arms, her head is crushed in his hands an her body slumps to the ground.

She was jus a kid. A vampire, but still jus a kid.

Without another look in my direction or even a word to the ones around him, he walks off, goin' t'ward his place. I guess his officer didn't have to be told what to do, b'cause in the flash of a second he's got the man kneelin' by the fire decapitated, then the woman that had been kneelin' across from him. All three bodies are added to the fire, and I've seen enough. I go crawl back in bed, coverin' my head and tryin' to block everythin' I just witnessed from my mind so I can sleep again.

**_some hours later**_

"I told ya not to test me, Pete."

Huh?

I blink my eyes, findin' m'self layin' on the ground. I try to get up, but I can't, somethin' is pressin' down on my back b'tween my shoulder blades. I'm able to lift my head, though, an what I see fills my heart with terror.

It's my home, an the Major's two officers are smirkin' at me as they throw open the front door an go inside.

"NO! Call 'em off! Please! I won't give ya no more trouble! Please!" My beggin' falls on deaf ears as the first screams ring out from inside the house. My struggles to get up are futile as the Major's boot presses harder to my back. "Please.." I break down, but it ain't no use. Mama is sobbin' as one of the officers brings her out on the porch, her dress spattered with blood that ain't hers. The other officer ain't far b'hind, his fingers wrapped around Ruthie's arm. "I'm sorry..I'm so sorry," is all I can say to 'em.

Gettin' some kinda signal from the Major, the officer holdin' Mama slices her throat with his fingernails, lettin' her blood flow before sinkin' his fangs into the wound. Ruthie is screamin' an cryin', beggin' me to stop 'em as I kick an claw at the ground uselessly.

A wicked smirk turns up the lips of the officer with Ruthie as he slowly starts backin' into the house again, pullin' her with him.

No! NO!

It's my own screams that wake me as I stumble out of the bad an fall to the floor, gaspin for air an sobbin' like a baby. My body is covered in sweat an my face with tears, an I'm tryin' to discern dream from reality as my heart thunders in my chest.

Jus a nightmare...jus a nightmare…

The Major appears in the doorway on the balcony, outlined in the early mornin' light. His eyes quickly scan the room before fallin' on me.

"What the hell is wrong with ya? I thought I's gonna hafta rip another newborn's head off!"

It's a moment before I can even find my voice, and even when I find it, it's weak and noticeably shaken, but I manage to look at him where he now leans against the doorway with one eyebrow cocked at me. "Ya left my family alone...Right? When ya took me?"

His expression changes from annoyed curiosity to understandin', an he nods. "It was only Maria an I that were there when I took ya, an we brought ya a good three hundred miles from there. No one's even aware ya had a family but her an m'self, an she ain't interested."

I nod, wipin' my face with my hands an tryin' my best to calm my emotions. My body feels weak, like after one of those wrestlin' matches my brother an I used to have, and it's easy to just let m'self flop back on the floor.

"Why am I here?" I mutter, not really expectin' an answer. The Major ain't exactly been one a much conversation, an the question was really more of a vocal expression a my inward self-pity.

"I need a good officer. One a my own," he replies, kinda surprisin' me. The statement confuses me, too. He has two officers, though I wouldn't call 'em good. I hardly think my idea a good is the same as his, though. An I know I don't wanna be nothin' like 'em. "I didn't change either one of 'em- the ones I got now. In fact, I ain't changed no one yet."

I turn my head to look at him, too weak to show any sort a emotion or disgust. "So ya plan to change me? I get to be yer first?" I roll my eyes as I look back up to the ceilin'. "Lucky me."

He actually chuckles a lil' bit. "If ya don't piss me off or get yerself killed first."

"Why?" It's a basic question, but it covers so much. I have so many why's in my head, he's bound to answer at least one of 'em no matter what he says.

"Why what?"

I guess not. "Why ain't ya changed no one else, why me, why ain't ya changed me yet, why do ya hafta change me at all, why do ya have all these vampires runnin' aroun, why did ya kill that girl last night, why-"

"Alright!" he interrupts, finally realizin' I got an unendin' string a questions. "Smartass. Get yerself t'gether an get down to the stalls an I might give ya some answers while ya saddle up my horse."

I ain't got a chance to reply before he drops outta sight from the balcony, an I sit up with a heavy sigh. Guess it's time to get the day started.

Don't take me too long to get washed up an dressed an down to the horse stalls. I feel so drained an wore down that I don't know how I'm gonna make it through this day if it asks too much a me.

At least I got my hat back.

I trudge past the Major who is leanin' against one a the posts near the ladder to get his saddle an set it up, tryin' not to let my fatigue show. His horse looks eager to get out, prancin' around a lil' in his stall, but he's gotta wait 'till I get his bridle on him.

"Up 'till now, Maria has been the one in charge a changin' humans. She's seen fit to allow me to do the same, I just happen to be a lil' more choosy than she is," he says, decidin' to answer my questions. I didn't really realize it until now, but that demoness is the one callin' the shots around here. "Why you? Like I said, I'm far more choosy than my sire, an I'd been watchin' ya for about a week before I took ya. I wanted to see yer character an potential." The fact that he'd been so close for so long, not just to me, but to my family sends a sickenin' chill up my spine, but I just keep quiet, leadin' his horse out of it's stall. "I ain't changed ya yet b'cause ya ain't ready, an I'm changin' ya to train ya as a soldier in our army." I hear him push himself from the post as I finish up with the saddle, even more questions on my mind now. "As for why I killed that girl...she had it comin'. An turns out she was conspirin' with the leaders a the coven we took out last night. Those were the other two ya saw."

I back away, lookin' up at him as he mounts the saddle. "What is it exactly yer fightin' for?"

He starts to ride out, but turns to answer. "Territory. Right now, we command most in East and Central Texas." Power hungry bastards. I get it. With a flick a the reigns, his horse trots out, but he comes back once more. "That horse over there, the red one, if ya can break him, he's yers. Damn thing won't let any a us near it, but ya seem to have a way with 'em."

I look at Red, then back to the Major, noddin' my head. "Thank ya."

This time when he turns, he rides away an I can't help but smile a lil' when I turn to look at Red. "Looks like I got m'self a horse." He comes to me when I walk over to the stall, allowin' me to pet his nose. "I wouldn't let 'em near me either if I had a choice. Yer jus smarter than these other horses." I ain't gonna have a hard time with Red, he already likes me since I'm the only one around here with warm skin.

Since I did the majority a the hard work yesterday, there ain't much to do t'day, an for that I'm thankful. I jus don't have it in me. But I take care a the shovellin' an give all three horses some oats an a good brushin'. The two that belong to the officers I let out into the pasture to graze, but I keep Red in b'cause I wanna see how he takes to a bridle. That one thing right there will tell me a lot about how much work I might have ahead a me with him. After that will come the saddle.

He takes to a bridle without too much fuss at all. I guess maybe it's just been a while since he's had one put on, an any horse will take a minute to adjust to it again. I got a good feelin', thinkin' that he ain't gonna need breakin' at all- he jus don't like vampires. That thought kinda makes me sad at the same time. It's in the plans for me to become one of 'em, will he hate me, too?

I don't wanna be like them...like _him._

I need to find a saddle since the two in here I know belong to the officers, an I ain't gonna give either a them bastards excuse to give me trouble. Not that I think they need an excuse, at least one of 'em has it out for me. Anyway, since there don't seem to be one anywhere aroun the stables, I leave Red to go on up to the store an see if maybe there's one there.

Sure enough, there's a nice one I could never afford that I almost miss since it's got stuff thrown over it. I kinda feel bad for takin' it, but it ain't gonna do a thing but sit here an collect dust anyhow. On a shelf nearby there sits a harmonica that already has a good layer a dust on it, so I pick it up an slip it in my pocket, too.

With the saddle an a sheepskin to put under it, I make my way back to the stables. I gotta pass the Major's place on my way, which I did once already, but this time the hair on the back of my neck stands up. I can feel eyes on me, but I jus ignore it and press forward, feelin' relieved when I get back to the stables.

"Alright Red, let's get ya out in the pasture an see if yer gonna let me get this thing on ya." Takin' his reins as I walk by him, I open the back a his stall and lead him out, stoppin' just outside the door an tyin' the reins to a post. "Good boy," I murmur as I lay the sheepskin over his back. That don't bother him at all, so I slowly pick up the saddle an lift it. He takes a step to the side, lookin' a lil' more nervous, but I jus shush him, easin' up closer. "Easy…" Though he ain't altogether comfortable, he lets me get the saddle on his back, an I jus let it sit there for a few minutes to let him settle down. "See there? It ain't gonna hurt ya." But how will he take to a man on the saddle, that's the question. First I gotta get the thing strapped, which I do, without any trouble.

"Well, so far I ain't been kicked or bitten, that's a good thing, right?" I chuckle, pattin' Red's neck then untyin' the reins from the post to walk him aroun a lil'. "Here goes nothin' I say, puttin' my foot in the stirrup an swingin' my leg over. There's a moment a tension, a moment that I've experienced before when everythin' is quiet an the horse is perfectly still. It's easy to have a false sense a victory in that moment, trust me. But I've been thrown from a horse in the few seconds after such a moment, when the animal fully realizes there's a man on it's back an it don't like it. But that moment passes an Red does nothin' more than shift his weight a lil' bit. I grin and rub his shoulder. "Good boy."

The Major said I was free to roam aroun the city, I just ain't got no use for wanderin' up an down the street. Somethin' tells me he wouldn't have any problem findin' me if he wanted to, an I wanna find a place to stretch out under a shade tree and take a nap. An uninterrupted, nightmare free nap, hopefully.

With a lil' tug to the reins, I get Red goin' an we ride to the far side a the pasture where there's a gate, an soon we're just trottin' along, followin' a thin line a trees that twists along the same creek that runs back up along the stables. I have no doubt that I'll find the peaceful place I'm lookin' for out here somewhere, an hopefully I won't be runnin' into any a them fanged bastards at all. I need a day a some kinda normal.

The creek beside me thins out an starts to look more shallow the farther I go which is kinda discouragin' since I don't wanna go too far. For a minute I consider turnin' back, but then it starts to deepen again an I come upon a patch a trees where the creek runs downhill over some rocks.

I ain't no stranger to long days an hard work. Laziness ain't in my nature, but I think the shock an stress an sleepless nights has taken it's toll on me an I just need to rest. So I grab the length a rope I brought an slide off the saddle, findin' a good place to tie Red where he can enjoy the grass an the shade. I can't trust him not to wander, so I gotta tie him up.

I miss Blackjack…

With a sigh, I find the perfect spot an sit down with my back to a tree. I can hear the water tumblin' over the rocks nearby an there happens to be a breeze today. Perfect. Makes for jus the right conditions for not thinkin' about a thing an forgettin' all my troubles.

I ain't sure exactly how long it took me to fall asleep, but I doubt it was long. I'd have probably slept a while longer if not for the rumble a thunder that stirred me. Red is shiftin' nervously, so I sit up a lil' an turn to look.

"Damn, that's ugly."

Black clouds hang in the western sky an that's just the direction I gotta go. Guess I'll find out how fast Red can run an hope to make it in before the bottom falls out.

My body protests as I jump up an untie the rope, windin' it around my arm as I hop up in the saddle. "Let's go, Red!" I hollar, givin' him a good nudge with my heel an snappin' the reins. He wants to make it in just as much as I do, so he's off in an instant, makin' me grab the saddle horn to hold on. He's damn fast, but we still don't beat the rain, an I laugh out loud when it just drops from the sky like someone just dumped a giant bucket. Might as well laugh at this point.

Both a us are soaked to the bone by the time we make it to the stables, but I'm just takin' it in stride. Red don't really care for the thunder all that much, but neither a us really mind gettin' rained on. I hang up my hat an get the saddle an reins pulled off. Just as I'm hangin' 'em where they belong, the Major comes ridin' in on his horse.

"Once yer done tendin' to the horses, come on down to the saloon," he says, not botherin' to even look my way before leavin' his horse for me to take care of.

"Alright then…"

Should I be worried?


	9. Chapter 8

The saloon is empty except for the Major. He's sittin' with his back to me up at the bar, so I slowly walk over. The light catches somethin' on his neck, an at first I think it's jus water, maybe from the rain that's still comin' down in sheets outside, but the closer I get the better I can see. It's four deep gouges, each one leakin' that clear fluid like what I saw when he beheaded that vampire in the woods, an it looks like the marks are healin'.

He don't say a word when I sit b'side him, jus slides me a shot a whiskey which I have no problem throwin' back. I cough over the burn in my throat an he chuckles, pourin' me another.

"Ya got a wanderin' spirit, don't ya, Pete?" he asks, fillin' his own glass.

I can only assume he's talkin' about my wanderin' off t'day, so I jus nod. "I guess ya might say that. Never was one to stay cooped up for long."

He nods slowly. "Don't let it get ya in trouble. I've already got Maria questionin' my sanity and an officer that's jealous of ya. I don't need ya makin' it more difficult to keep ya alive by wanderin' all over creation. Where ya went t'day is fine, but don't go no farther."

As much as I don't wanna become what he is, I know that time is comin' eventually no matter what I want, so I ask, "So why don't ya jus change me already, give yerself a lot less to worry about?"

"Ya ain't ready." His answer is sharp an final, leavin' no room for further discussion. Even though I'd like to know what it is that's keepin' me from bein' ready, I just keep my mouth shut an toss back another shot. He wastes no time in pourin' another.

"Why would anyone be jealous?" I figure that's a safe question.

He jus kinda rolls his eyes, an I ain't sure if it's b'cause he thinks the answer should be obvious, or if he thinks the jealousy is as misplaced as I think it is. I mean, hell, I sure don't wanna be here!

"B'cause he's worried yer gonna take his place, an I won't have no use for him no more," he says turnin' around on his stool to lean his back against the bar.

"What's it like?" I ask, downin' my whiskey, which I'm really startin' to feel the effects of. "Changin', that is…"

"It's pure, undiluted hell." Of course it is. "That's the best way I can describe it. Ya think ya died an woke up in hell."

Great. This time I pour m'self a shot, an it's about then that I hear the beat a hooves an wagon wheels outside.

"Who's that?" I ask, tryin' to focus at the doors.

A slow smirk twists his lips an he pushes himself to his feet. "Entertainment."

Another shot down an I'm all but lost to the world. My vision goes in an outta focus as I watch the Major walk across the floor to meet his officers, Maria an a few pretty girls that I think are human like me. That can't be good, can it? Should I warn 'em? They look a lil' tipsy, too… A warnin' wouldn't do a thing for 'em. The Major wraps his arm around one with bright blue eyes an strawberry blond hair, whisperin' somethin' in her ear that makes her smile an giggle, an the next thing I know, she's comin' my way.

All I wanna do tonight is drink m'self blind an unconscious…

********

A sharp pain on my scalp stirs me from a deep slumber, an I groan as my mind tries to wade through the fog that has formed in it. My body is less than willin' to move. Flashes come to my mind... a pretty face an a smile, a kiss… touches, sighs a pleasure and hands clawin' at my back. It's that moment that I finally come to the realization that I ain't alone in bed. The side a my face is pressed to bare skin, an the pain on my scalp came from the hand I can now feel restin' there.

I groan again, very slowly liftin' my heavy eyelids. My head is poundin' which makes it difficult to move, but I manage to lift it, the hand restin' upon it fallin' limply to the side as I do. I fully expect to see the face a the girl with strawberry blond hair when I look up, but what I don't expect to see is blood drippin' from her throat an her dead eyes starin' up at the ceilin'.

I ain't even sure how I summons the strength, but I scramble back, fallin' to the floor, not stoppin' till my back meets a wall. I don't recognize the room I'm in, but I can't think about that right now- I need air. Somehow I manage to pull my pants on an make it outside before my stomach heaves violently, bringin' me to my hands an knees as I vomit.

When there's nothin' left, I get to my feet an stumble away, not makin' it far before fallin' an curlin' up on my side. The poundin' in my head is almost unbearable an my body trembles uncontrollably. I feel like I can't breathe…

"Get ahold a yerself, Pete." The Major didn't yell, but he might as well have. His voice only adds to the pounding in my head an ringin' in my ears. "It's just a hangover."

Just a hangover? Just a hangover?! I just woke up with a corpse!

When I look up an see blood on his chin an shirt, I lose it. It was him- he killed her. She was pullin' my hair b'cause he was drainin' the life outta her!

"You bastard!" I roar, on my feet an chargin' him before I even think about it. 'Course I'm rewarded by him just movin' outta my way an a hard blow to the back that sends me sprawlin'. Quick as I can I get to my feet, even though I'm gaspin' for the wind he knocked outta me, an I go after him again. I know I can't win, but I ain't in my right mind.

This time, he just catches me by the throat, shovin' my roughly to the wall he had been leanin' on. "I said get ahold a yerself!" he snarls in my face.

I can't remember a time in my life that I've ever been this angry. I can't think around it; I can't see through it. Think a yer family, ya dumbass. Don't give the bastard an excuse. Calm the hell down. Somewhere in the middle a all that rage comes a voice a reason an I quit fightin', my body jus goin' slack in his grip.

"It's nearly noon an ya got horses to tend to." He turns loose a my throat an shoves me away. I feel too weak to catch myself so I stumble an fall an he scoffs. "I suggest ya get to it."

I don't think I've ever really hated anyone. That was the one word sure to earn a slap from the back a Mama's hand if ya ever used it in her presence. She could handle any curse word under the sun, but ya better not say ya hate someone or somethin' with her around. You'd get a slap an a lecture.

I want to hate him, though. I got a good feelin' he's more than used to bein' hated, probly thrives off a it. It's her fault. There's that voice again in the back a my mind. Can't be sure if I ain't just losin' my mind altogether, so I jus shake my head an will m'self to get up, finally seein' that I'm out behind the saloon. I ain't goin' back in there to look for my shirt, so I just trudge a lil' ways down to the store where I can find one.

It's still rainin', though not as hard as it did yesterday, jus a steady drizzle. Might as well be rainin'; I think sunshine would jus be a cruel joke for how I feel t'day.

I know I oughta look for somethin' to eat while I'm in the store, but I ain't got no appetite at all, so I just settle for a shirt an slowly make my way down to the stables. It ain't easy even to jus walk, so I don't know how I'm gonna get through this day. I feel like my bones are made a lead an it don't help that my mind is rememberin' more an more a last night. That's how my mind works, I never forget a thing even if I ain't in the best shape for rememberin' at the time.

Her name was Clara. We drank an we danced an laughed. Made each other drunken promises…

All the horses but Red are gone when I get inside, an I'm relieved b'cause that jus makes it easier on me to shovel out their stalls an fill their food troughs. It ain't never been so hard to lift hay, an with each step I take, my body protests. I had to lose my shirt pretty quick into workin' or I'd have ruined it with sweat. It's jus pourin' off a me, an it ain't even hot as it usually is. I'm just fillin' the horse's grain buckets when the Major comes ridin' in. I don't even wanna look at him.

"A tree fell over the fence in the southwest corner a the pasture. Get some wire an go take care a it."

I just nod weakly to his instructions. Of course, as if t'day ain't bad enough, now I gotta deal with a fallen tree. Bastard could probably move the whole damn thing himself. I ain't got it in me to suffer the consequences a pointin' that out, though, so I jus finish what I'm doin' then get Red saddled up. Hell if I'm walkin' out there.

I bring along some rope, an axe, an a good length a barbed wire since I have no idea what I'll find when I get there. It takes all the effort I can muster to stay upright in the saddle to lead Red where I need him to go. It's a relief to see it ain't a big tree, just a small one that fell over an broke the rusted barbed wire b'tween two posts. The posts themselves are still alright an the tree is already broken in brittle pieces so it shouldn't be hard to move.

On a normal day, a job like this woulda been nothin' at all for me, but t'day is not normal, an after a couple of hours, I feel like I ain't gonna make it. I'm chilled right down to the bone, my shakin' hands makin' for tough work with the barbed wire. An I've started coughin'. I feel like someone's wrapped somethin' around my ribs an they're slowly drawin' it tighter an tighter as the day goes on.

Somehow, someway that I really don't understand, I manage to finish mendin' the fence an tossin' the tree pieces back over it so it ain't in the pasture. I'm on my way back to Red, almost to him when a violent fit of coughin' brings me to my knees. It's so bad, I feel like I might be sick again, an I can't hardly catch my breath b'tween coughs. The best I can do is curl up in the grass right there, an by the time it subsides, I ain't got neither the strength or will to even try to get up.

I jus don't care anymore.

Not sure how long I lay there, shiverin' an floatin' in and out a consciousness before the sound of an approachin' horse registers in my ears. I feel cold fingers press to my neck an crack my eyes open to see the Major's other officer, the one I ain't really seen or heard much from yet.

"Oh good, ya ain't dead," he says.

Oh good? If I could speak, I'd say "Oh damn, I'm still alive" but I can't speak. I don't feel like I can even move. He huffs a lil', lookin' around an shakin' his head when he sees Red, then he looks back down at me.

"I'ma set ya on my horse an try to get ahold a yer horse's reins to lead him back with us, but if he won't let me, we'll just hafta hope he follows." I think I nod to that an I groan as he slides an arm under me to lift me to my feet. "Yer burnin' up with fever," he mutters, doin' all the work to get me to his horse an put me up on the saddle. All I can do is lean forward against the animal's neck an loosely grip it's mane. "Easy boy," I hear him murmur as he approaches Red, an by some miracle, he's able to get the reins without a big fit from my horse.

The ride back to the stables is slow an miserable, usin' what lil' strength I got to hold on an stay in the saddle. Finally, it does come to an end an I'm pulled from the saddle only to be thrown over his shoulder as he jumps up into the loft where my room is. He sets me down on the side a my bed an steadies me before steppin' back.

"Get outta the wet clothes before ya pass out in 'em. I'll make sure yer horse is in."

I nod an croak out a "thank you" right before he disappears off the edge. That one ain't so bad…

As much as I wanna jus fall back into bed, I know I better heed the warnin' I was given an I change into somethin' dry first. 'Course all the movin' around brings on another coughin' spell every bit as bad as the first. By the time it's over with, I'm curled up in the bed, more than thankful for the blackness that finally overtakes me.


	10. Chapter 9

Did I really need anythin' more to make my life miserable? I can't even stay in a deep sleep no matter how tired I am with these coughin' fits wakin' me so often. It's like I can't even get a full breath in without one. An the pain...it's all I can focus on. There's been a time or two I knew someone was in the room with me, but I have no sense a time. I don't care, I just want this to be over.

"He's gettin' worse, Major." I'm pretty sure that voice belongs to the Major's officer, the one that helped me in from the pasture. The Major just grunts in response. "Unless ya plan to jus change him, I think I might be able to help him. Otherwise he'll probably develop pneumonia if it ain't already started."

"Weren't ya some sorta witch doctor or somethin' before this, Arthur?" the Major asks.

Arthur chuckles. "I grew up on a sliver a land between two Indian tribes...I picked up a few things along the way."

"It's worth a shot, an ya got time. He's yer patient, doc. Jus don't kill him."

"Yes, sir. I oughta be able to find most a what I need in the lil' store, but there's a couple plants I may have to do a lil' travellin' for."

"Understood. Go anywhere northeast a here. Ya know not to go any other direction 'till ya get outta Texas," the Major replies, the sound a his footsteps bangin' in my head as he goes to the door.

"Yes, sir."

Arthur is alright. I like Arthur.

I doze off again, only to be woke up by Arthur, who helps me to sit up some an puts a cup of hot liquid in my hands.

"Sip that 'till it's gone. It's got a lot a honey in it, so it'll help soothe yer throat an ease that coughin'." I nod an take a sip, thankful it don't taste horrible. It's real sweet an has both flavors a tea an whiskey, but more tea than whiskey. "Good. I'll be back in a lil' while with somethin' that might jus help clear it up altogether. An don't lie down flat, keep yerself propped up a lil'."

My throat is too raw to even attempt a "thank you", but I don't have time anyway before he's gone. I jus do as I was told an sip from the cup 'til it's gone, tryin' not to doze off. Once the cup is empty, I slide back down jus a lil', but not all the way, keepin' m'self propped a bit. I could be sittin' straight up, probably wouldn't keep me from dozin' off. Now that my throat feels a lil' better an I ain't constantly fightin' a coughin' spell, it's easier to do.

I don't know how long I'm sleepin', but I think it's been awhile by the the time he comes back an wakes me. Sittin' up, I see a big iron pot filled with steamin' water an some kinda crushed up plants. Since the pot can't come up on the bed, I gotta move to the floor, an he used my blanket to cover both me an the pot.

"Alright, I want ya to lean over that an breathe it in as deep as ya can. Jus slow, even breaths in an out until there's no more steam. Should last aroun half an hour or so."

Witch doctor. Now the Major's words are kinda funny…

I hear him leave, once again leavin' me alone to follow his instructions. I feel kinda silly, all covered up on the floor with my head bent over a pot, but if it works, that's all I really care about. I ain't real sure what kinda plants he's got in the water, but the smell is strong enough I can taste it. After a short time, I start to feel sharp lil' pains in my lungs with every breath I take in, like someone is rollin' a small cactus around inside my ribs, an I feel lightheaded, but I stay put until Arthur comes back and pulls the blanket back.

"Back in bed," he says, an I'm more than willin' to comply. Then he grabs my cup from earlier an dips it into the pot. "This ain't gonna taste good at all, an ya don't hafta take yer time drinkin' it, but ya need to get it down."

With that, he hands me the cup an I look at it, grimacin' at all the lil' green plant junk floatin' in it. Be best if I not think about it too hard, though, so I hold my breath an take it all down in one shot, gaggin' as I set the cup on the table. "That's disgustin'," I rasp weakly, an he chuckles an nods.

"I told ya. It'll put ya out, too, but yer probably gonna feel a lot better by mornin'."

"Thanks, Arthur," I tell him, my eyelids already gettin' heavy.

"Yer welcome, Pete."

That's the last I hear before fallin' into a deep, dreamless sleep. It's a lil' after daybreak when I finally wake up again, an it's the urgent need to take a leak that rolls me from the bed. I ain't been this close to pissin' m'self since I was jus a kid an Mama wouldn't let me get up durin' a church service that went long. I gotta go so bad, I don't care if anyone sees, though I do try to get outta sight the best I can behind the stables.

A few minutes later, I come stumblin' back into the stables, feelin' a couple pounds lighter. Arthur is there, laughin' his ass off.

"Yuk it up, ya bastard. What the hell did ya give me?!" I ask, floppin' down in a pile a hay. I still feel a lil' too weak to stand for long.

"Ah, don't bellyache. It worked, didn't it?"

"That was the longest an worst smellin' piss I ever took." Seriously. It was like rotted pig piss. I don't know if it's what I said or the look on my face, but Arthur jus laughs harder. I can't help but chuckle m'self. "Well, whatever it was, it sure enough worked, so thank ya, Doc."

Once he calms down, he nods. "Yer welcome. I done spoke to the Major an got the okay to tell ya not to work t'day. Get out and get some sun an fresh air, but nothin' strenuous. Ya don't want that sickness to flare up on ya again."

"No, I sure don't. I'll take it easy."

He points an I look across the room to see a small basket with a few eggs in it. "Came across 'em last night while passin' though a farm. Should help ya get some a yer strength back." Now that I've had a chance to think about it, I am starvin'. "Alright. I got me a few new ones to go tend to, so I'll see ya around." With a tip a his hat, he strolls out an I stretch and yawn, relieved to know I shouldn't be bothered t'day.

Now, as good it feels to be stretched out in the hay, my stomach ain't gonna be ignored any longer, so I groan an get to my feet, scoopin' up the basket with my fingers as I walk by an head down to the store. The mornin' sun feels good on my back, makin' me glad I didn't concern m'self with puttin' my shirt on.

There ain't a soul to be seen nowhere, an I hate to say I'm just gettin' used to the ghost town feelin' a this place. It don't even give me the creeps now. The bell at the top a the door rings when I go in, alerting no one in particular but me, an the first thing I do is go straight through to the back where the lil' fire pit is, an get a fire goin'. When I'm sure it's started, I turn to go back in the store, nearly fallin' back when I about bump into a lil' female with bright red eyes.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" she says, takin' a step back. "I'm Emily."

I nod nervously, tryin' to regain my composure. "Uhm...nice to meet ya, Emily...I'm Pete….Should you be-"

"Oh I know, I remember you from the other day." She's a hyper lil' thing, curiosity an excitement dancin' in them red eyes a hers. She looks so...young. I can't fathom why a vampire would want to change such a young girl if her purpose is for war. Men go to war, not young girls. She couldn't have been more than sixteen. "May I do that for you? The Major wants me to do things to learn to control my strength, and I used to _love _cooking. Please?"

I know I'm such a sucker, but I can't say no. I just chuckle an nod my head. "Sure thing, sugar, so long as ya don't try an take a bite outta me...an ya ain't gonna get in trouble for bein' around me, right?"

She claps her hands an giggles. "Thank you! I would hug you, but I'm afraid I would break you." She grins and turns to go inside, talking as she does. "He said not to hurt you, I think I can manage that. Just don't bleed, okay?"

"I'll try not to," I mutter, findin' m'self a seat with my back to the wall.

She soon returns, carryin' an iron skillet, some potatoes an a knife. I watch as she moves slower than even a human like me normally would to place the skillet over the fire. She looks pleased with herself, droppin' some lard in the skillet an pickin' up a potato. She's a lil' too hasty with it, though, an crushes it to oblivion in her palm. I try not to chuckle at her growl of frustration, but she notices anyway.

"Just you wait, you'll see it ain't easy!" I hold my hands up in apology, an she tries again, this time biting her lip an taking great effort to hold the potato an knife without destroying both. Slowly but surely, she manages to get it cut up into the pan, then does another.

"Two is plenty, sugar," I tell her, not wanting her to have to struggle for more than I'll eat. She nods her head an sits back a lil' to let 'em cook a bit before adding any eggs. "So, Emily...how long have ya been a vampire?" Add that to a growin' list of questions I never thought I'd ask.

"I think it's been almost six months," she replies, twirlin' her brunette hair in her fingers. Six months an she can barely handle things without breakin' 'em? Fantastic. That's what I get to look forward to. "I'm getting better at controlling myself- my strength and my temper. The Major helps, but he can get kinda impatient. And I try to stay away from Maria altogether."

Can't say I'm surprised at all that she's afraid a Maria. "Ya say the Major helps ya?" He don't really strike me as the helpful sort, but she nods her head enthusiastically.

"He has this gift. He can control emotions, so our army isn't as out-of-control as most of the ones we go to battle with. I've only been in a few battles so far, and I stayed behind him at all times. You don't want to be in his way when he unleashes that gift of his in a bad way...and because no one gets around him easily."

"Ya talk like ya got a lot of respect for him…"

She carefully lifts the basket a eggs as she nods her head. "Anyone with any sense learns quickly that disrespect is severely punished. He teaches us well...teaches us how to survive."

I snort, rollin' my eyes. "To survive a war ya didn't ask to be brought into. I can imagine ya were ripped away from yer family as well?"

She frowns, shuggin' a shoulder. "I guess. I don't remember a lot about them. Mostly I remember being in the kitchen with my mother."

"Ya don't remember?"

"Not really. I lost a lot of my memories during the change. That happens to a lot of us." This time it's me who wears a frown. I don't wanna forget my family or my life. "Pete? Could you...I know I'll break them."

I look up to see her still holdin' the basket an I chuckle. "Yer s'posed to break 'em. B'sides, there's at least eight in there, an I ain't gonna eat that many. Go ahead an give it a try, sugar."

Her first attempt is a failure, her fingers goin' right through the shell, an she growls in response. "I told you! I can't."

She sets the basket down an crosses her arms and I can't help but laugh. "Ah, c'mon, ya can't give up that easy, it was jus one egg! Try again." She shakes her head an I pout a lil', givin' her the same puppy eyes I'd give Mama when I wanted somethin' or tryin to get outta trouble. "Please?"

"That's not fair! Fine." I grin at gettin' my way an she huffs, very slowly reachin' for another egg. This time, she's able to pick it up without breakin' it, but doesn't quite get it to the skillet before breakin' it.

I can see her eyes turnin' darker as she grits her teeth, an I should probably just do it m'self, but instead, I scoot over closer to her. "Take it easy, ya almost had it. Lemme see yer hand." I hold out my hand for hers an she lays hers palm side up in it. Pickin' up an egg, I lay it in her palm. "Let me move yer fingers, but pay attention to the pressure." Usin' my fingers to move hers, I wrap them around the egg an move her hand to the skillet, tappin' the egg on the side jus enough to crack it. Turnin' her hand loose, I smile as she's able to do the rest herself. "See? Now do one more on yer own."

The next one she picks up an cracks into the skillet all on her own, squealin' excitedly. "I did it!" It's funny how somethin' so trivial can be such a big deal, an this has been a learnin' experience for me, too. If somethin' as tiny an delicate as her has taken this long to be able to handle an egg without breakin' it, what's it gonna be like for me? "I would hug you if I weren't afraid of crushing you! Thank you!"

I chuckle and lean back into my spot, shakin' my head. "No need to thank me. I might need yer help once I'm changed."

She seems to like that idea, noddin' happily. It ain't long before the food is done, an she manages to get it on a plate an hand it to me without incident. It's amazin' how much confidence she's gained from that one lil' thing, an it feels good to have really helped someone. Emily is a sweet kid, an easy to talk to. Even after I'm done eatin', she walks with me down to the creek where I wash my face an get a drink. We talk about the few things she remembers a her family an I tell her about mine. Talkin' about 'em makes my heart ache to go home, an I think she can see it in my eyes b'cause she lays a hand on my shoulder an whispers an apology.

"It's alright. I just don't wanna forget 'em. I don't wanna forget my life, even if I can never go back to it."

"I know they must miss you terribly," she sighs, hoppin' up to sit on a tree branch over the water. I jus nod an look down at my fingers pickin' at the grass. I don't really wanna think about the heartache my disappearance has to have brought to Mama. Another son...lost. "Hey," she chirps, obviously tryin' to brighten the conversation. "Do you like to swim?"

What? Swim? I chuckle and nod. "Yeah, why?"

"There's a lake not far from here- too far to take you like _that_," she says, gesturing to my whole self, so I assume she means my human self can't go that far an it not be considered 'not far'. "-but it's deep and clear. When you're a vampire, I'll take you."

"I'll hold ya to it." I grin up at her, an jus as she's about to say somethin', her mouth snaps shut an she perks up, as if she's listenin' to somethin'.

"We're being called," she's says, hoppin' from the branch to the ground b'side me. "Well, not _us_, the newborns. Probably training...I have to go. Thanks for talking to me, Pete. It's nice to have a friend around here."

I grin up at her and nod. "I agree. It was a pleasure meetin' ya, Emily. I'll see ya around, alright?"

"Of course!" she giggles an just like that, she's gone.

"Be careful, lil' one," I murmur after her, then lay back in the grass to enjoy the sun an air like Arthur told me to. Doc's orders and all that…

I pretty much spend the whole day like that, layin' in the grass by the water with very little movement to speak of. Might as well enjoy the hell outta it since there ain't no tellin' if I'll get another day like this one.


	11. Chapter 10

****Authors Note** In this chapter Pete will be discovering a lot more about the voice in his head, and actually having a conversation with that voice. Just so a difference can be made, the voice will be in italics and in conversation with the voice, Pete's words will be in bold print. Now on to chapter ten, titled Ready or not. Enjoy! And FYI, reviews are wonderful things.**

By the time night rolled around again, I had found a cane pole an a hook an caught my dinner from a deeper pool in the creek. Felt good to get some actual meat in me in the form of a couple decent panfish. Before I turn in for the night, I spend a lil' time in the store, grabbin' some clothes an some other things I might find handy. Ain't no sense in havin' to run down there every time I need somethin'.

On my way back to the stables, I groan inwardly when I see Raymond up ahead, the Major's jackass officer with an attitude. It has to be him with the misplaced jealousy issue. I don't like him at all, nor do I like the way he's starin' me down the closer I get.

Vampire that could kill me in a split second, or not, I ain't givin' him the satisfaction a cowerin' away, so I jus glare right back at him. Bastard. What's he gonna do, defy the Major an kill me? Hurt me again after I jus got healed up? I don't think so. He may be a jackass, but I don't think he's stupid.

As I pass, he chuckles darkly, a wicked smirk turnin' up his lips, but he says nothin', jus keeps walkin'. He's probably jus tryin' to get in my head, but I can't help feelin' a lil' sick in the pit a my stomach, an my first thought is Red. He was comin' from the stables, after all. Still, I won't give him the satisfaction a knowin' he got to me an I walk at the same pace I had been even though my blood is boilin'. If he hurt my horse, I'm gonna find a way to kill the bastard.

Enterin' the stables, I breathe a sigh a relief when I see Red is in his stall, alive an well, an Arthur is there, tendin' to the horses.

"Ya look much better," he says as I set my stuff down an walk over to rub Red's nose.

"I feel much better. Yer a miracle worker, Doc," I murmur back, jus lookin' my horse over. I guess the bastard was jus tryin' to mess with me. It worked. "The day off did me good, too."

"That's good. I'll get outta here soon so ya can get to sleep."

"Take yer time, ya ain't gonna bother me none," I tell him, grabbin' the stuff I need to take up to my room an climbin' the ladder. The clothes I got I find a place for an put 'em away, then walk over an lean against the doorway in the balcony, takin' a sip from the flask a whiskey I swiped from the saloon. There's a full moon high up in the sky, lightin' up the landscape below an castin' long shadows from the trees scattered around. For a minute, I consider goin' an findin' m'self a place to sleep outside, but I decide against it. I'm pretty safe up here from bein' woke up by some crazed vampire stumblin' upon me.

The things I gotta worry about now…

With a sigh, I push away from the door, takin' my shirt off an tossin' it to the side. My hat, I hang on a nail stickin' outta the wall near the bed. Ya might think since I spent a big part a the day nappin', that I might not be ready to hit the hay jus yet, but I know I'll be out within' minutes once my head hits that pillow.

Speakin' a my pillow, there's somethin' there. The light catches off a somethin' shiny, an when I get closer to inspect, I see it's a silver necklace with a tiny silver daisy charm on it. My brows pull t'gether, my mind recallin' just where I remember seein' it.

Emily.

She was wearin' this necklace t'day, I remember noticin' it when we were walkin' down to the creek. She had said she thought her daddy had given it to her.

_That son of a bitch!_

The voice in my head thunders in accusation before I've really come to the realization. It's like I don't wanna accept it.

"Arthur, the Major wants ya down at the saloon." Raymond's voice makes my skin crawl when I hear it from down in the stables, my teeth gritted t'gether as I stare at the necklace in my hand.

I barely notice the sounds a Arthur's boots on the ground as he goes, but soon enough I know I'm alone with Raymond, an I got my doubts about the Major callin' for Arthur. Without much of a thought, I'm down the ladder, my eyes quickly findin' an glarin' at the back a the bastard. He don't bother to turn an face me.

"What did you do?" I snarl, grippin' the necklace in my fist.

He shrugs a shoulder, keepin' his back to me as he takes a couple lazy steps t'ward Red. "There's somethin' ya need to learn quick about this life, Pete," he drawls, Red backin' away as he nears the stall door. Raymond snorts an shakes his head, turnin' it slightly to smirk at me. "Never get attached. To _anything_."

I know exactly what he's eludin' to. _Who _he's eludin' to, an I swear somethin' inside me snaps. My ragged breaths are drawn an exhaled through clenched teeth an my arms tremble at my sides. I can't see reason, only rage as my hand reaches out to snatch the nearest thing, which happens to be a rake with thick iron prongs. I don't think he expects me to take a swing at him, an even though I know it don't hurt him, it's still satisfyin' to feel the vibration down the wooden handle as it connects with the back a his head.

'Course he turns an snarls, grabbin' the rake an throwin' it across the room with one hand while the back a his other connects with my cheek. I don't stay down, though. Anger puts me back on my feet an I go at him again, my fist meetin' his jaw. That only serves to break my own hand, but I don't care. I don't even feel the pain. The bastard jus laughs at me, this time his backhand catchin' the other side a my face.

"What? Ya think jus b'cause our kind _can _live forever, that we _do_?" I make another go an get a punch to my ribs that takes my breath an he shoves me against one a the stall walls, his fangs bared in my face as he sneers. "Useless newborns don't last, cowboy. It was time to weed 'em out an the Major gave me yer lil' friend." He chuckles darkly, squeezin' my throat as I struggle against him. "She wasn't completely useless, though…" _BASTARD! _"More useful than you'll be. I can't wait for the Major to see what a waste a time you are. I think I might even ask for the honor of-"

I can't do much of nothin' against him, but I'm sure as hell done listenin' to him run his mouth, so I do the one thing that'll shut any man up. The ultimate a insults.

I spit in his face.

I can see the rage the instant it takes over, but the last thing he'll ever see is fear in my eyes, so I jus glare back at him defiantly. Everythin that happens next is jus a blur. I'm pretty sure he threw me across the room an I slammed into the wall, but he was on me again before I even hit the ground. I can feel the bones in my shoulder crack as he catches me, but I don't even have a chance to make a sound before I'm thrown again.

This time, though, I land. My back meets the ground hard an everything changes. The room spins an falls silent, blurrin' out a focus. When my eyes refocus, Raymond appears above me, fear in his eyes as he looks down at me.

What happened?

His head snaps up as if he hears someone comin, and he's gone from my sight, the next one to appear there bein' the Major, an he looks pissed. Then everything comes to me. The room stops spinnin' an I can hear again, but the pain is what consumes me the instant I try to draw in a breath. My lungs make an awful sound an make me choke an cough, the action sendin jolts a pain throughout my body.

The rake! The rake I hit him with is what I must a landed on. The pain is too much to try an pinpoint where the prongs went in, but I can be pretty sure they got my lungs. Lookin' up at the Major, I can see blood spattered on his face that I've coughed up.

This is bad…

Arthur appears beside him, lookin' jus as pissed. "I'm sorry, Major. I shoulda known."

"Nah, he'll be answerin' for what he's done. Take three a our best an go get him. I want him back here ALIVE," he snarls. Arthur answers with a "yes, sir," an he's gone, an the Major shakes his head as he looks down at me. It's really hard to breathe an my vision is gettin' dark around the edges. "Ya didn't ignore him, did ya? Ya went an pissed him off."

No, he pissed _me_ off, an what he did was with the permission a the bastard I'm lookin' at now. But I can't even tell him that. I can't utter a word, only groan as he slides a cold hand up under my neck. Guess he ain't got a choice but to change me now, ain't no patch job gonna fix me.

The pain is bad enough, but it's nothin' compared to how bad it gets once I feel his fangs pierce my throat. It's like he's pulled my head back an injected fire into my viens an the fire is quickly spreading, first of all racing to my back an spreadin' through my lungs. I claw at m'self tryin' to stop the flames from spreadin', but it's no use. The more I try an fight it, the worse the inferno rages, so instead I grit my teeth an try to focus my mind on somethin' else- anythin' else but the pain.

'Course my mind goes to the events a the day an I think a Emily, my anger over her death boilin' with the pain I feel. I doubt I'll get the pleasure, but I hope that bastard is still around when I come outta this. I bet he won't just throw me around then.

_Oh, so yer just gonna teach him a lesson, are ya?_

That voice again. Am I goin' crazy? Why am I hearin' a voice in my head?

_And yer gonna talk about me like I can't hear ya? Rude._

**Who the hell are ya?**

_Someone yer gonna need._

**For what?**

_For when ya can't handle it all. Like right now. _

**Now?**

_The Major's venom has a hell of a lot a repair to do. Ya notice the pain ain't so bad?_

**It's still pretty damn ba-**

I don't finish my sentence before pain takes even my inner voice away an I feel like the two rivers a lava that I was clueless of on either side a me jus came t'gether over me. Pain don't even seem sufficient enough of a word. It's agony.

_Yer welcome, asshole._

With the voice back, the pain subsides again.

**How?!**

_I'm takin' it, b'cause I can._

**I don't understand, but I ain't gonna argue.**

_You'll figure it all out eventually. Now if you'll excuse me, I don't feel like talkin' anymore._

Even though the voice is quiet, I know he's there, an I know he's takin' the worst a the pain. Not that I can't feel it, I can...it's jus...muted. Except every now an then when there's a flare an I can hear his growls right along with my screams.

I lose all track a time as the venom flows through my veins an into my tissues. What the Major said about feelin' like ya went to hell is more true than I could have imagined. It ain't jus like flames are lickin' at the outside a my body, they are on the _inside_, like every cell carries it's own fire. Tryin' to distract my mind is near impossible, but when the pain is more like a glowin' ember rather than a ragin' inferno, I think about my family. I play out every memory a them I can in my mind, recalling every detail a their faces, their voices...I don't wanna forget 'em.

_Ya won't. Yer mind was strong before, an I've protected it. 'Fraid I gotta go now, though, an let ya take over. Dyin' ain't somethin' I can do for ya. But I'll see ya on the other side._

**Dyin'? What?**

I know the second that it's all me, an my back arches as the fire starts to draw into my heart that's racin' to get away. Ain't nowhere for it get away to. I ain't been able to hear much a the outside world over the time since the Major bit me, but now I'm startin' to hear things. I hear the sound of a door openin' an footsteps across a wood floor.

"Mi amore, you have done well with this one...Not long now." I know the voice is Maria's, though it sounds a thousand times more clear now.

"Not long at all," the Major answers back, an I wonder if he's been near me all along. "I'm still gonna need time with him. His emotions have been all over the place, but not like what I'm used to. He's gonna be a fighter an hard-headed."

She chuckles softly. "Sounds very familiar to me."

Nothin' else is said between 'em, I just hear her footsteps as she leaves an shuts the door. Jus as the door shuts, my back arches again as the fire surrounds my heart an pours into it, bringin' it to it's final beat an collapsin' my body to lie still on the floor.

I jus died. That's what the voice meant. My heart no longer beats, but I'm breathin'. I can feel...everythin. I can hear an smell everything, too. There's a ruffle a clothin' caused by slight movement, an before I can even process the action, I'm on my feet with my back to the nearest wall, crouched.

An growlin'.

'Course the one that made the noise is the Major, an he's standin' there with his arms crossed over his chest an a brow cocked up at me.

"YOU!" I snarl, once again movin' before my mind can fully calculate my actions. It ain't no surprise to the Major, though, an he simply moves outta my way, lettin' me barrel through the wall an out into the rain. I spin to face him, growlin' as I see him leanin' against a post on the porch with that same cocky look on his face. It pisses me off. "I'm gonna kill you!"

I really don't know what possesses me to think I can do anything against him, but I throw m'self at him again, only this time he catches me by the throat, diggin' his fingers in before throwin' me back out in the mud.

"Ya gotta lot a growin' up to do before that becomes even a remote possibility," he drawls, casually leanin' against the post again. "Ya wanna tell me what's crawled up yer ass?"

It takes everything I got to hold m'self in place an not go after him again. My fingers dig into the ground with the effort. "Ya gave her to that bastard! She was jus a kid, an ya gave her to _HIM_!"

"Huh? Who the hell are ya talkin' about, Pete?"

A growl rips from my chest as I glare at him, my fingers diggin' deeper into the earth below me. "Emily! He told me ya deemed her useless an let him destroy her!"

"Emily? Ya mean the lil' one with the blondish hair?" I can't answer him, so I jus nod my head an he rolls his eyes. "He lied to ya. He didn't kill her, I did."

That don't make things any better, an when he says that, I lose my ability to stay put, lettin' out an angry roar as I go at him again. I don't make it too far this time, suddenly dropped to the ground by a feelin' a terror like I ain't ever felt, mixed with submission an a host a other emotions I can't even give a name to. I can't even move under their weight.

He comes to stand over me, givin' my side a kick jus for the hell of it. "Maria's orders. Newborns that can't fight don't last long aroun here, Pete. Emily was a liability in battle an woulda probably got herself killed or captured eventually. At least with me it was over quick. I wouldn't give a damn dog to Raymond, he was tryin' to goad ya, an it worked. Now get up an quit actin' a fool!"

I'm up on my feet in an instant, watchin' him walk back up the steps to the porch. "Why not just let her go?"

He stops when he reaches the post he's been leanin' on, turnin' to shake his head at me. "Ya got a lot to learn, Pete. That ain't the way it works in our world." I huff an rub at my throat, tryin' to ignore the burn there an keep up with the thousands a thoughts racin' in my head. Turnin' on my heel, I start t'ward the stables from whatever house he had me in. "Jus where do ya think yer goin'?" he hollars.

"Home." That makes him laugh out a cold, hard laugh, but I don't stop. "I jus wanna see 'em one more time, ya can at least gimme that!"

"Sure!" he says, humor still colorin' his tone. "Hang on, though." I snarl an stop as I hear him hop off the porch an turn to look at him. "Before ya go, I need to show ya somethin'. After that, yer free to go check up on that precious family a yers." My eye twitches an I glare at him, but he hold up both hands. "Ya have my word, I'll even give ya a full three days leave to do it."

"Fine," I hiss back at him an he smirks, jerkin' his head in motion for me to follow him. Like a bullet, he takes off an I don't even hafta think about it to follow him an keep up. I gotta admit I'm a bit in awe as I watch the trees fly by. Runnin' like this feels good. I like it!

Too soon, he comes to a stop an I skid to a halt jus behind him. He puts a finger to his lips to instruct me to keep quiet as we creep along until a house comes into view up ahead. From inside, the sound a three hearts beatin calls to me, my mouth floodin' at the scent that wafts faintly in the air even at this distance.

"Yer barely keepin' yerself in check an I'm the one controllin' yer bloodlust right now," he whispers, turnin' to smirk at me. "This is what happens when I leave it up to _you_."

All of a sudden, all thought is gone from my mind apart from the scent an the burn in my throat demandin' to be answered. The heartbeats grow louder an draw me in, each one thunderin' erratically before fallin' silent, the sounds a screamin' and terror registerin' faintly on my consciousness.

When the last heartbeat falls silent I finally come to m'self, lookin' down into wide eyes frozen in terror. In my arms is the crushed body of a young woman, an as I drop her to the floor I discover the drained body a her son.

No…

There's blood on my hands, on my clothes...everywhere.

"Still wanna go visit yer family, Pete?"


	12. Chapter 11

I stumble backwards away from the bodies on the floor, tryin' to wipe my hands on my clothes, but it's no use. I need water. I need water NOW! Lookin' back, I see a window an don't think twice before launchin' m'self through it, landin' perfectly on the grass two stories down. With a sniff to the air, I locate an turn t'ward the direction I smell water an take off.

There's a pond nearby on the property, an I all but fall into it, scrubbin' at my face an hands an clothes, my now perfect sight able to see even in the darkness as red bleeds into the dark water from my body. The screams from the small family ring clearly in my mind no matter how hard I try to drown them out. As if that ain't bad enough, the memory a what I've done comes, playin' in my mind with perfect clarity.

"Go on, cowboy! What're ya waitin' for?" I snarl raggedly at the voice behind me. He needs to shut up. "Go say hello to yer Ma an Pa." SHUT UP! "Better yet, yer lil' sister. Bet she'd be even sweeter than that lil' fella ya just drained."

_ENOUGH!_

His voice, every word he spoke was like a spark on a fuse, an that fuse finally reached it's end. Only, instead of an explosion, everythin jus went silent. Silent and still, apart from the deadly low growl rumblin' deep in my chest. I can't feel much a anythin', as though I've been pushed aside an my emotions shut off.

As I turn, I feel like my own eyes are windows I'm lookin' out of. I ain't the one controllin' my own body right now, an whoever is, is pissed the hell off. I see the Major, standin' not far off with his arms crossed over his chest an his eyebrow cocked up in curiosity. That look changes from curiosity to surprise when I move, an I swear I see him smirk just before I hit him. It's to my own surprise that I actually take him down, havin' faked a direct approach then goin' for his legs at the last split second. I don't even know how I knew to do that.

My fists connect a few times before his finds my jaw an sends me back, an he's quick to follow, a deep snarl rippin' from his lips that says he's means business. I can't seem to find it in me to care or be afraid, though. I dodge his grasp an get another punch to his side, smirkin' in satisfaction at the feel a his ribs crackin' against my knuckles.

It ain't like I haven't ever fought before. My brother had gotten me in plenty a scraps growin' up an I never came out a loser. I could hold my own for sure, but I ain't ever fought like _this. _I don't know how I know what to do, I just know. An it helps that I really, _really _wanna hurt him. So, instead a lettin' him fall away with the punch to his ribs, I grab his arm, sinkin' my fingers into his flesh. I'm gonna rip the damn thing off an beat him with it!

I think he knows that, though, and he has another arm. He comes back with it, his long fingers wrappin' around my throat an squeezin' as he snarls. I jus snarl right back an pull, satisfied when I hear the crackin' a his skin. His arms are longer than mine, though, an he pushes hard, diggin' his fingers into my throat at the same time. The growl that comes outta me ain't my voice at all. It's deep an filled with venom, but I'm realizin' I can't fight him. I ain't gonna get his arm for damn sure.

Probably feelin' my uncertainty, he makes his move, goin' from pushin' against me to pullin' me to him in the flash of a second, and his teeth sink deep into my skin at the base of my neck, paralizin' me with pain. He shoves me down on the ground, shruggin' his shoulder as his skin fuses back t'gether.

I jus stay on the ground, not havin' the will to try and move from the curled position my body fell into from his bite.

"Had enough?" he asks in a deep growl, an I just nod. "Good. I suggest ya get yer shit t'gether an come find me in six hours. I ain't never come across a newborn with so much skill. I wanna get started on sharpenin' that skill. Don't be late."

He don't say no more, turnin' on his heel an strollin' away.

_Asshole._

Got that right.

I roll to my back, my muscles finally able to relax jus a lil' after bein' bitten. I don't much feel like gettin' up, jus layin' there an lettin' the rain fall in my face. I jus slaughtered a family without so much as a thought. The scent a their blood drowned out any reasonin' or hesitation. Even thinkin' about it now has my throat burnin' with desire for more.

I groan, scrubbin' my hands over my face. I've become a monster jus like him, an I ain't ever goin' home. I'm gonna stay as damn far away from my family as possible.

When I drop my arms, I can smell smoke waftin' through the air. He's burnin' the house, somehow I just know that, I don't hafta go see for m'self. I guess the evidence can't jus be left there.

Finally, I sit up, rubbin' at the wound still stingin' on my neck. That bastard packs one helluva bite, I think I'll be doin' my best to avoid another. With a quick look down at m'self, I see my shirt is all torn up, so I just shred the rest of it. My skin is much paler now, an flawless apart from the dirt I've picked up wrestlin' with the Major. Now that the ache in my body and neck has faded, I feel good. Better than good.

I'm on my feet without a second thought, my eyes dartin' aroun as my mind tries to make up where to go. A quick sniff to the air, an I take off in the direction that I smell other vampires. I figure now that it's a lil' safer for me to be aroun 'em, I'll go and see what it is they all do when there ain't a fight goin' on. An I'm kinda curious if Arthur came back with Raymond yet.

I gotta say, the mindless murderin' an constant burn in my throat aside, I could get used to this vampire thing. Runnin' is amazin'. The world is flyin' by me, yet I don't miss a single scent or detail, even in the rainy darkness. I feel like I could dodge the raindrops if I really wanted to.

My run is short-lived, soon reachin' a spot where some a the others are gathered. I'm greeted with a round a snarls an growls, a couple of 'em crouchin' defensively. Stoppin' on a dime, my first instinct is to do the same, an I'm a lil' surprised by the sound of my own growl rumblin' over the small crowd.

I don't wanna start a fight, so I straighten m'self an raise my hands to show I mean no harm.

Fat lotta good that does me. From my left, someone comes at me, but he's dropped to the ground by another before he gets to me.

"Bad idea!" my unknown protector snarls, pinnin' down a snarlin' an snappin' young man.

"What the hell is his problem?" I ask no one in particular, givin' the two some space.

"He's brand new, an he's not adjusting well," answers a female voice. I look over to see a girl with long, curly black hair. "The Major has already threatened him once today. He won't last if he can't cope...Any little thing sets him off."

"Hm. The Major ain't got a lot a patience?" Yeah, I know the answer to that already.

"Not for that. I've seen many just like him be destroyed, and I've only been here maybe four months." We both look on as the ragin' vampire gets loose an runs off, an I shake my head. "I'm willing to bet he'll be gone by tomorrow."

"I won't bet against ya," I mutter, lookin' aroun. Maybe there's others scattered aroun somewhere else, I jus don't see as many as there were that first day. I see new faces, too. "People don't tend to stay aroun here long."

She shrugs. "We lost a lot in the last battle." Crossin' her arms over her chest, she looks me over. "You're adjusting well, for being brand new."

"Am I?" I don't know what's normal. "I just slaughtered three humans an I'm fightin' to keep m'self runnin' off an lookin' for more."

"At least you're fighting the urge." She smiles as the man who was wrestlin' with the crazy kid comes over to join us. "I spent a week without my legs because I kept trying to run off. I'm Violet, by the way. And this is Walt," she says, gesturin' to him. "And you are Pete."

I chuckle an nod. "That's me. Good to meet the both of ya." The quiet is suddenly broken by an explosion a growls and snarlin' behind me an the three of us turn quick to see, ready to defend ourselves. Turns out to be two other vampires gettin' into a fight. Over what? I have no idea, all I see is a tree stump between 'em. Relaxin', I shake my head an look to Violet an Walt. "Has Arthur come back?"

Walt shakes his head. "Nah, but he will. Raymond might be fast an crafty, but he ain't gonna hide from Arthur long." He chuckles. "I heard ya went after him when he pissed ya off. Yer either insane or got a set a steel cahonas on ya."

"Or both," Violet chimes in, smirkin'.

A growl rattles in my chest jus thinkin' about that bastard. "I'd like to get my hands on him now."

Walt grins. "Ya wouldn't stand much of a chance, ya ain't had no trainin' like he has."

I jus roll my eyes. I held my own with the Major until he used his damn voodoo on me. I ain't gonna argue with the man, though. "I'll be gettin' some trainin' in a while."

"One on one?" Violet asks, raisin' a brow, to which I nod. "Lucky you."

The way she said that an the look on her face don't make me _feel _lucky at all. "He use that ability a his when he's trainin'?"

"Not usually," Walt answers. "Unless he needs to calm ya down, or when he's trainin' a bunch at one time to keep control."

"Then I think I can handle it."

Violet snorts. "Just don't piss him off. He likes to rip arms off."

"Who says ya gotta piss him off?" Waltl says, grinnin'. "I think he jus does it for shits an giggles."

I know I ain't stood here for too long, but the longer I stand here, the more my throat burns an whittles down my patience. I don't feel like talkin' anymore, an no one calls after me when I turn an walk off. I don't mean to be an ass, but I'm startin' to feel like _I_ wanna rip someone's arm off jus for shits and giggles.

I just need to be alone.

My walkin' leads me right up behind the stables. Hearin' the heartbeats a the horses inside, I stop in my tracks an for a second consider runnin' away. But the smell ain't at all like it was with the humans. In fact, it kinda burns my nose some. I jus wonder how Red might react to me now.

With curiosity replacin' my agitation, I slowly ease around the side a the stables, takin' a breath when I reach the door. Givin' it a push, I cringe when the damn thing flies open an cracks in half. I didn't mean to do that… So much for makin' a quiet entrance, I know I've already startled the horses, I can hear 'em huffin' an stompin' their hooves. Maybe I oughta just go…

Sighin', I start to turn, but change my mind, slowly steppin' inside instead. All the horses are there with the exception a Arthur's, an none of 'em really pay me any mind, except Red. He backs up from the front a his stall, shyin' away from me. Jus what I was afraid of.

"Heya Red," I murmur softly, approachin' his stall with unhurried steps an relaxed posture. He backs even farther against the back wall an I sigh, leanin' against the short wall on my arms. "I know…I'd probly hurt ya by accident if I tried to pet ya anyway."

Layin' my head in the crook my arm, I close my eyes an let my other arm hang down inside the stall. I don't wanna stress him out too much, I jus wish he wasn't scared of me. I hate it. I've lost everythin I held dear to me, an Red jus kinda made me feel like I got a piece back. Even though I expected this reaction, it still kills me. That piece I got back bein ripped away again.

Then, I feel somethin warm an soft on th back a my fingers, nudgin 'em gently. Ever so slowly, I lift my head jus enough so I can see, an Red's got his neck stretched out, his nose jus barely nudgin my fingers. I grin, thinkin that he ain't completely written me off after all an I'll take the lil bit a effort he's puttin in.

"Good boy," I whisper, restin my chin on my arm an barely movin my fingers to rub his nose. He don't back away, so I count that as a win. I need a win to end up this day.


	13. Chapter 12

Did ya know vampires don't sleep? Not at all, ever. An it's the strangest thing b'cause after three days, I don't even wanna. An I'm soakin in everythin the Major says like a sponge. He don't say it, but I know he's happy with me.

Well, happy most a the time.

Day before yesterday I pissed him off a lil bit. Or a lot. Yeah, I pissed him off a lot. It wasn't entirely my fault, though. See, I been tryin to behave m'self an watch my temper since I don't wanna look as stupid as those tree stump fuckers I saw the other day gettin into it over a damn tree stump, but I ain't gonna jus keep my mouth shut when some jackass is deliberately tryin to piss me off. An it was one a the tree stump fuckers to deliberately piss me off, which made it worse.

The Major wanted me to work on gettin my strength under control, b'cause he said it was important. I kinda think he jus don't wanna fix shit all the time, but that's jus my opinion. Anyhow, it wasn't somethin he had to sit an watch over me for, so I was by m'self, very carefully movin some things aroun in the lil store when the stump fucker came in. I didn't really pay him no mind other than a grunt in greetin which he returned. But then he had to go an open his damned mouth.

"So, you the new pet? Must be some kinda ass kisser to get so much personal attention from the Major." I cut my eyes at him an he smirked. "Or do ya give him special favors?"

My eyes narrowed as I turned my head t'ward him. "That mouth a yers gonna get ya in trouble if ya don't keep it shut."

Can't say I didn't warn him, but didn't stop him from goin on. "So what is it ya do, spend a lot a time on yer knees or do ya jus bend ov-"

Snap. Yep, there went the last lil thread holdin me in place an before anyone could blink, I had thrown him through the front window an out on the street. Course he was quick to get back up again an the collision a our bodies made a sound like thunder roll through the air. I didn't have a clue what had crawled up his ass b'sides jealousy, but at that point I didn't give two shits, neither. He was the outlet I needed for all the damn pent up aggression I'd been savin all that day.

He landed a fist to my ribs an sent me flyin, dust kicked up as my body tumbled but I came up on my feet an ready to catch him as he came at me again. I got the bastard by the arm an he fuckin bit my shoulder. That was the wrong thing to do.

_**I've had enough a this lil prick!**_

The voice in my head came to life an I once again found m'self lookin through my eyes like windows as he took control with a deafening roar. My fist connected with stump fucker's jaw an b'fore he could even stuble away, my fingers tangled in the hair on the back a his head. My other hand caught him under the neck an with one hard twist, his head was free a his body. It didn't stay in my hands long, b'cause I rared back an threw that thing as hard as I could throw it, then proceeded to tear apart th rest a his body, each piece gettin thrown in a different direction.

**It was a bit overkill.**

_**Maybe if ya woulda quit dickin aroun with the fucker, I wouldn't a had to lose my temper.**_

**I was gettin to it, ya impatient bastard.**

Anyway. By the time I came back to m'self, the fight had drawn a crowd. An not only was the Major lookin on, but so was Maria, an she didn't look happy at all. She hissed somethin in his ear an stormed off in vampire fashion, the only evidence a her departure bein th slammin of a door.

Guess she liked the stump fucker.

With a mere look from the Major, everyone scattered an got back to whatever they was doin an I jus dusted off my ripped clothes as he came strollin over.

"I didn't start it," I muttered, not lookin up to meet his glare jus yet.

"Did he attack ya?" His voice was sharp an stern, an I honestly felt like a child gettin scolded.

"Not exactly."

"What?"

"No, sir."

"Ya need to get thicker skin. I can't have ya takin out my good men- Look the fuck up at me when I'm speakin to ya, dammit!" My head snapped up to look at him at his command. "I WON'T have ya takin out my good soldiers b'cause ya can't control yer damn temper when one runs his mouth at ya!"

"He was a good soldier? Ya gotta raise yer standards." One day I'll learn to keep my mouth shut.

With a sweep a his leg, I was on the ground with his fangs bared in my face an his fists twisted in my shirt. "I said he was a good one, not my best. An since it seems ya still got energy to spare to wag yer tongue about my standards, I think it's time ya met some a my best."

He roughly set me back on my feet an stalked off an I followed b'cause I knew better than to assume he oughta tell me to follow him an I didn't wanna get m'self in any more trouble.

He led me to the place in the woods where trainin usually took place, where there was a large circle cleared out in the trees, an he shoved me out into the middle a it. I didn't even know he'd called for anyone, but two men came walkin outta the trees an these two I hadn't seen before. An they looked more than ready to kick my ass. Th Major had perched himself up on a tree branch with his back to th trunk where he could watch, an with a quick nod, the game was on.

Both charged me, an not only did my legs get swooped out from under me by one, the other landed a hard kick to my chest that made a horrible crackin noise. I didn't have no time to recover, an swung blindly at the next attack only to have my arm grabbed an twisted up in an unnatural position behind my back before bein shoved right into a fist connectin with my cheek. An so it went on, I landed a few good hits or kicks, but I was takin the worst a it, an by the time the Major called enough, I was exhausted. My legs gave out an I flopped on my back. What was left a my clothes were soaked with my own venom an I felt weak.

"Got any more smartass remarks to make?" The Major asked, appearin over me.

"I jus shook my head an responded with a weak "No, sir."

"Good. Now go get cleaned up, yer gonna need to hunt t'night."

He didn't say nothin more, jus strolled away an left me to lay there for a few more minutes. There wasn't a spot on my body that didn't hurt as the torn muscles an broken bones repaired themselves an my skin stung where it was fusin back t'gether from the bites I'd taken.

_**Fine mess ya got yerself into.**_

**Yeah, coulda used some help.**

_**I wasn't the one that mouthed off to the Major. Dumbass.**_

**I like it when yer actually helpful.**

Back to now, I've jus got done with another round a trainin with the Major an he's been teachin me some things about how I messed up in fightin with the two the other day. I even got some practice with him an one a the bastards from that fight, an I held my own a lot better. I've jus gotten washed up an head back down to the saloon where I was told to come back to. The Major was waitin there, sittin on a barstool with a flask a whiskey in his hand. I took the stool next to him, my ears perkin up at the sound of an approachin carriage.

"Ya done good t'day, Pete. So I'm givin ya first pick."

First pick? First pick a what?

The carriage stops outside, an the scent a blood an perfume floats on the air ahead a the giggles an heartbeats that fill the air once the doors swing open an two a the Major's men come waltzin in with about six women. My jaw tightens an my mouth floods with venom as my eyes settle on one with long, black hair an the scent a apple blossoms. "Her," I say once I swallow back the venom pooled in my mouth an the Major jus chuckles, gesturin for me to help m'self.

She gives me a flirty smile an bats them long lashes as I approach her, an the demon inside a me is stirred awake, a dark chuckle on his lips as he knows as well as I do that this night ain't gonna go as she planned it would.

"My my," she purred. "A handsome cowboy all for me?"

If I opened my mouth it would be to sink my fangs in the silky skin a her throat, so I kept it shut, respondin with a "Mm-hm" an offerin her my arm, b'cause it was safer than takin her hand. The demon groaned at the way her warm lil body felt when she slid her arm through mine an her hip brushed up against me.

_**Tell me yer gonna take yer time with this one.**_

**Gonna drain her as slow as I fuckin can.**

_**What? The hell ya are. This one's mine!**_

_As we turn the corner after leavin th saloon, I take the reins an lock out the consciousness a my more impatient counterpart. I think for all the shit I've handled for him, I deserve this. An the pretty lady deserves to die with a smile on her face, an I'm more than capable a puttin one there._

"_Tell me beautiful, ya wanna take a stroll by the riverside with me?" I ask, turnin my head to look down at her with a crooked grin._

_Oh I can see that lil bit a hesitation in her eyes mingled with fear an a naggin feelin she's tryin to ignore. It tells her I'm dangerous. If only she was strong enough to listen to that voice. Nah...she was doomed the moment she stepped into that carriage t'night._

"_I'd like that a lot, handsome." _

_She don't sound confident about that, but she's curious an aroused enough to push her gut feelins aside. I jus let out a soft chuckle an lead her on out aroun the stables an to the path that winds it's way to the river._

"_It's a warm night," she murmurs by way a makin conversation, an I nod my head._

"_Mm, it sure is. Been thinkin bout this water all day an didn't think I'd have company." I wink an turn loose a her arm to walk out ahead a her a lil an lose my shirt an kick outta my boots._

"_Wait, ya want me to go in there with ya? Ain't ya worried about snakes?" Snakes. That's cute. I smirk an shake my head. "Well I am!"_

_Turnin back aroun an stalkin up to her, I stop jus in front a her an brush my fingers over her jaw an down her neck, gettin much satisfaction outta the shiver that rolls through her body an the whimper that falls from her lips. "Ain't gotta worry about nothin gettin ya with me aroun, sugar...I don't share." I feel her tremblin hands move an her fingertips trace the muscles a my torso, bringin a groan to my lips. Good God, her scent is intoxicatin! An she's so warm an soft._

_I move back, givin her one final crooked grin b'fore I loose my belt an let my pants fall to the ground, an stroll on into the water til it reaches my waist. The rufflin a fabric makes the corners a my lips twitch an I turn to watch the silk an lace pool at her feet. Her heart is racin but she puts on a brave face, lettin her hips sway sensually as she nears the edge a the water._

"_It's cold," she says with a giggle when the water covers her feet._

"_All ya gotta do is get in, then I'll warm ya up."_

_She bites her lip, then renews her confidence to come on into the water, placin her hands on my chest when she reaches me. "Warm me up, will ya? What if I'm the one to do the warmin?"_

_Her heated breath caresses my cool skin with every word an as her sultry voice fills the air, her hand moves slowly down over the muscles a my stomach to disappear in the water. A growl rolls from my chest as her soft, warm fingers find my hardened member, an in that instant, I pull her into me without thinkin._

_Pure terror an agony permeate her delicate features as the pain registers with the snappin a her fragile bones. Guess I don't have much more control a this strength than he does._

"_Fuck. That kills the mood."  
__**  
**_ _**Alright, have at her ya eager bastard. **_

Comin back to m'self, the only thing I know is that I'm holdin the now broken body a the beauty from the saloon an I can't hold back. She's whimperin, unable to cry out as her lungs are compressed an fillin with blood, but she ain't gonna suffer long. My hand tangles in her hair an yanks, pullin her head back violently enough to snap her neck, an I sink my fangs into her throat, drinkin greedily as the last beats a her heart pump the blood into my mouth an down my throat.

Finished, I toss her limp body up on the shore an sink down into the water.

**Did ya really think you'd be able to fuck a human?**

_**It was worth a try. Still coulda, I jus like willin participants.**_

**An ya call me a dumbass.**

**Author's note:**

**Thank you much to those that have stuck with the story, I really appreciate you reading and any reviews help tremendously! The next two chapters are already written and I will update as soon as I can, but real life is busy and internet is limited. In reply to a guest review (can't reply directly to guest reviews): Thanks for keeping with the story even though I kept him human a while! Pete is a character I have played in Roleplay both on FB and another site for around two(ish) years now and this fic is a rendition of that story and the character I play, whose story is still ongoing. **

**I'm not sure if I gave this warning quite properly yet but just in case I haven't...I don't write canon pairings. Not to spoil anything, but don't expect a Charlotte to appear in this story. I'm not sure how much more time I'll spend on this part of his story, I think I will be reaching the point that he leaves the Major in chapter 15. With that I will probably be wrapping up this first story and the next will dive into his years as a nomad.**

**Again, thanks for reading and giving this crazy cowboy in my head a stage. Pete hugs (gentle hugs) to all! **


	14. Chapter 13

Last night was terrible. Worse than terrible, I ain't even got words to describe it. An I finally got a first-hand, front-row seat to the horror a why the Major is so fucked up.

I was s'posed to meet up with him for trainin. There was a battle comin soon, an it was to be my first. He wanted to know I was ready. But I hadn't seen him all day an it wasn't like him to be late, which he was, by more than an hour. I hate to say I was concerned about the bastard, but bein that he was all that stood b'tween me an a few pissed off vampires, I was indeed concerned.

The Major had been explainin a few things to me as they came up, an one was the reason why I could always feel where he was at, like this strange compass in my chest always pointin me to his direction. He said it was somethin called a sire's bond, an I'd have it for as long as I lived unless I killed him, which was not at the top a my list a things to try. So, I closed my eyes until I got a good feel a the way it was pointin an let that guide me.

It took me outside a town an into the woods, along a long, widin path that soon led to an ol' cast-iron gate. The gate was hangin half off it's hinges an beyond it an abandoned plantation house loomin among the Spanish moss covered trees. It was an eerie sight, but I knew that's where the Major was so I silently hopped over the fallen gate.

As I was walkin t'ward the house, I stopped short when I heard a groan an the sound a Maria's voice. She sounded pretty pissed off, an whatever it was that had her panties in a twist, the Major was takin the brunt a her ire. My breathin stopped when the metalic screech of a limb bein ripped off filled the air, along with her shrill voice, darin' him to make a sound.

I was right about her.

Not wantin to go any closer, I stopped an looked aroun, seein a tree at the far corner a the property to climb up in an wait. I could still hear, though, an that's how I found out what she was so pissed about.

It was all about that fucker I'd ripped apart. I guess he coulda put him back t'gether an didn't, choosin rather to have his parts gathered an torched. If ya ask me, he was probly glad to be rid a him. I sat in horrified silence as I heard bite after bite, an her nails tearin into his flesh, an through it all he didn't make a damn sound. The scent a his venom was thick in the air an it took everythin I had to keep my ass firmly planted in that tree, an for the life a me I can't understand why I wanted to defend him. It was me that ripped the fucker to shreds, it shoulda been me takin the heat for it.

Finally, th torture stopped, but she wasn't finished. I could hear the sound a his muscles fusin back t'gether from whatever she tore off. She appeared at the door an called out a name, an within seconds, I could hear a vampire approachin, bringin with him two thunderin' heartbeats.

The draw was nearly impossible to resist an the bark gave way under my fingers as I fought to keep m'self in place, holdin my breath, even though the breeze wasn't blowin my way. My throat felt like it was on fire as the sweetest scent reached out to me. I could taste it.

Then I saw them.

God have mercy, they were jus' children...no older than my lil sister.

I heard that familiar deep growl from inside an the bitch smirked as she grabbed the lil ones an disappeared. Seconds later, their screams rang out an I clapped my hands to my ears in an effort to block out the sound, but I know I won't never forget it. Silence fell again, stretchin on until guilt radiated from the house like a shockwave, nearly knockin me from my perch.

"NO GUILT, MAJOR!" She screamed, the sound a her hand to his cheek ringin in the air. "It is weakness!" Her footsteps echoed as she stomped t'ward the door an I moved to make m'self less visible. "No more mistakes, and clean up your mess!" With that, she slammed the front door so hard the glass shattered everywhere, but it wasn't even settled on the porch before she disappeared from sight.

I sat frozen in that tree, knowin that I should probly get the hell outta there as I could only imagine that was somethin he didn't want no audience to. I jus couldn't move.

Jus' as the sun shed it's last rays a light, he stepped out the door an I slid outta the tree, our eyes meetin the instant my feet hit the ground. He didn't want my pity, an I knew for damned sure he'd kick my ass if I tried to offer it. He'd got my respect, though, for I'd jus' got a good, close look at the fuckery that had formed my sire into the badass he was, an not many a man could withstand that kinda abuse. I really don't know how I knew this shit, but I was damn certain in that moment that I needed to prove m'self valuable to him...Nothin else really mattered.

I gave him a nod, a silent pact b'tween us that what I'd jus' witnessed would never be spoken of. I told him I was ready for my trainin as he approached me, an for the first time I got a look at him without a shirt coverin his torso. He had scars, a course, many from bites probly gotten in battle or while trainin. But not all of em. Some were fresh from only moments before, an some were jagged lines, old an new on his chest an where his arms joined his body. She musta started on him from the moment he opened his damned eyes to this hellhole an in that moment I wanted to kiss his bare feet an thank him for bein the one to sire me. But I didn't, b'cause I like my lips attached to my face.

I jus don't get it, not in the least. He could rip her damn head off in a blink of an eye, an yet he still allows her to put him through shit like that. Maybe it's the sire's bond, I ain't too sure. That shit's fucked up.

Needless to say, trainin was intense, so much so that he told me to spend t'day relaxin after I got m'self someone to eat. Is it fucked up that I feel kinda proud a the fact that he trusts me to hunt on my own so quick?

_**Yeah, that's fucked up.**_

**Wasn't askin ya, fucker.**

That alter-ego a mine is gettin more an more obvious to me. It's like I can feel his presence with me, not jus in my head, but all over. An he can be annoyin as hell when he wants.

_**Yer ass would be dead by now if not for me.**_

**Yeah yeah, yer my hero an all that.**

The sound a hooves on the ground grabs my attention an I move to the door from the window I was boardin up at the general store to see what was comin. It was Arthur, an b'hind him were the two men he'd taken with him, holdin a strugglin Raymond b'tween em. I was beginnin to wonder if they'd be able to bring him back alive, an they'd done it.

I know my eyes have fallen every bit as black as the Major's as I watch 'em come to a hault an th Major comes strollin outta his place to confront his officer. I'm standin on the edge a the porch, deadly gaze locked on Raymond with my fingers curled at my sides an muscles coiled. When the Major uses his gift to drop him to his knees, I have to fight with everythin in me to keep my boots planted an not launch m'self at the fucker.

Jus as the Major opens his mouth to speak, he stops short, his head turnin slightly in my direction, lookin as though he's thinkin bout somethin.

"Have ya fed like I told ya to?" he asks, to which I manage a nod. He turns back an looks to Arthur who is now standin b'hind Raymond, awaitin his orders. "Bring him out to the trainin circle." Arthur nods an the three take off in a blur with Raymond, an he once again turns his gaze on me. "Ya want yer shot at revenge?"

So bad I can taste it.

He chuckles, my emotions bein enough of an answer for him an he nods his head.

Without the need for another word to be said, he leads the way out to the trainin circle in the woods an gives my shoulder a lil shove to put me in the circle where they hold Raymond. He sneers at me as they let him go an looks to the Major.

"What is this? An insult?" He knows he's dead anyway, so he don't think twice about mouthin off.

The Major, standin b'tween two trees with his arms crossed over his chest, simply shakes his head. "Think of it as an opportunity to try an finish what ya started. The cards are jus a lil more evenly stacked now."

A hushed murmur spread aroun the gathered crowd like a wave. They knew I could fight, but Raymond was in the top ranks an had much more trainin an experience than I had.

Raymond scoffed. "Evenly stacked? He's a child."

The Major shrugged. "It wasn't above ya to go after him when he was human. Stop yer bitchin an have a go at him now. Yer gonna die t'day, Raymond, an I'm givin ya the chance to take this child that's the cause a yer imminent death out before ya go, I suggest ya shut up an take it before I change my fuckin mind."

_It is then that Raymond snaps his gaze at me an falls into a crouch, an a wicked smirk twists my features as I do the same. This son of a bitch is MINE._

"_Here kitty kitty," I taunt as he begins to circle._

"_Ya got some nerve, child," he growls back at me an my smirk only grows._

"_I jus know a pussy when I see one."_

_That does the trick, snappin the thread holdin his temper in check an he roars out as he comes at me. He looks a lil stunned when I dodge his attack an even manage to catch him across the back a his head with a hard slap. I answer his snarl with a gesture for him to come at me again, an he does. _

_The fight goes on like a choreographed dance, each of us on the givin an receivin end a hits an bites. _

"_Stop toyin with him, I'm gettin bored."_

_Raymond thinks the Major is talkin to him, but his words were meant for me, an as he makes his final charge to end me, I move in a way that makes him think he's got me when his arms capture my leg. I know if I don't move quickly he's gonna take my leg off, so I curl my body to lift up an use my other leg for leverage against his back as my arm wraps tightly aroun his head. I feel his teeth sink into my bicep, but it's too late for him. Squeezin tightly with both my legs an my arm, I stretch out my body an twist. The sound his body makes as his head comes free is music to my ears an leaves a satisfied grin on my face, an I give his headless body a kick once I get to my feet jus b'cause I can._

_The Major is lookin at me with a hint a curiosity in his eyes when I turn aroun, an he smirks when our eyes meet, like he done figured somethin out. Yeah, with his gift it'd be hard for him not to notice a shift. I jus smirk back at him an nod once before movin back to the comfort a Pete's subconsciousness. _

"Good work, yer ready for battle," the Major says, then inclines his head to the body at my feet. "Burn it."

With that, he strolls off an I look down as the crowd that had gathered disperses. It feels good to see him dead at my feet even though it technically wasn't me to kill th bastard. Arthur comes up an slaps my shoulder, placin a lit match in my hand an walkin away an that match is quickly dropped, only a smirk on my face as a means a sayin good riddance.


	15. Chapter 14

The tension in the air aroun us is so damn thick ya can practically taste it as we stand ready for battle, the Major's soldiers falling into position aroun the new coven that was warned to leave. They had agreed to move on, only to expand their territory instead an add many new vampires to their ranks.

Our emotions are controlled by the Major- anger an hatred boils beneath the surface an he keeps us in place with a steady flow a patience. Arthur stands to his right at his side an I stand to his left, back slightly an my blackened eyes scannin the trees on the opposite side a the river jus below us. The faint sound a heartbeats from the coven's human slaves thumps in my ears with temptation, but I let my determination to survive this night drown it out.

We can't be sure they don't know we're comin. Hell, we know they're expectin somethin, the real question would be how prepared are they? My eyes shift to the Major an I know they ain't half as prepared as they need to be.

"The humans aren't to be touched until the battle is won an our enemies are dead," the Major says in low tones, to which there is a collective nod. "When it's finished it will be up to the two a ya to round up any that have escaped." He angles his head slightly so I know he is addressin me. "Arthur knows what to do from there, listen to him."

I nod once to let him know I understand an he turns his focus back to what's ahead. His arms come out slightly to keep Arthur an I in place as the patience he's been sendin out dries up an all but Arthur an I tear off across the river. My body trembles in anticipation as I hear the battle begin in a clash a bodies an fangs. I know what my purpose is as well as Arthur, an that is to watch the Major's back as he goes for our enemy's leaders.

"Now," he growls an my feet dig into the earth as we move to join the battle.

His sights are set on but one thing an one thing only, an he tears though newborns like they're paper dolls. Arthur an I fend off th ones that try to come at his back until the Major stops an his head twitches slightly to the left before he goes in that direction. I'm closer to the Major, but I stop when I don't hear Arthur an turn to look. He's standin off with three vampires, so I start t'ward him but he growls at me.

"No! Ya stay with him, I got this! STAY WITH HIM!"

Without any hesitation, I turn again an catch up with the Major jus in time to tackle a vampire tryin to take his back. I rid that one a his head an continued on, only skiddin to a stop when I come to the Major where he's stood at the mouth of an old mine entrance.

"I ain't got a good feelin abou-"

"I didn't ask how ya feel," he snarled back, cuttin me off. "Stay close."

The coven leaders are on the run, an lettin 'em escape ain't an option for him, but I ain't wrong about my bad feelin. Jus aroun the second turn in the mine, we're ambushed by ten. The Major takes on six, leavin me to handle four, an it's all I can do to fight 'em off an keep 'em from goin after my sire. Their fangs dig into my flesh, tryin to immobilize me, but I fight through it, deliverin bites a my own an rippin at limbs an heads until all ten are scattered about the narrow passage. My pitch black gaze meets that a the Major an we have no time to gather ourselves b'fore we're under attack again.

Looked like the coven leaders found nothin but a dead end an turned back to make their last stand. Two males an one female, all skilled fighters with three skilled guards. Naturally, the leaders go right for the Major an the three guards come at me. I'm feelin the effects a all the bites an wounds I've taken already, but I hold my own to start with, takin my burden down by one with the snappin off of a head. But I ain't quick on the spin an my arm is grabbed an pulled back violently, rippin it from my body at the elbow.

The pain don't have time to register in my mind b'fore a wall slams down in my mind.

_That shit hurts an it sure as hell pisses me the fuck off! Ain't no way the both a us are gettin outta here unless I shut him out an get it done. Course the two are expectin me to recoil from the pain an injury they jus caused me, but instead my deep growl bounces off the dirt walls aroun us an they take a step back. I'm gonna use that to my advantage an strike, but somethin makes me look back, an sure enough there's another female stalkin the Major._

_He's got his back to her, his focus on the two remaining males an I know I gotta stop her. I drop my body down to avoid the lunge a one a the guards an launch m'self at the woman. Her screams fill the air for only a fleetin few seconds before I rip her head off. I save the Major, but the woman's mate turns his attack from the Major to me along with the other two guards. An as his damn teeth sink into my neck, the guards grab my remainin arm an pull._

_My teeth grit together as I begin to feel the cracks a my skin web out from where the bastard has his teeth lodged in my neck an he starts to push my head back. I'm pretty resigned that this is it for Pete, but at least I mighta saved the Major an I got to kill that fucker, Raymond. Worth it, far as I'm concerned._

_Jus as my body starts to lose feelin an my eyes close, I suddenly hit the floor. There's more shoutin an growlin, but I can't move an I can't open my eyes. I don't wanna anyway if all I'm gonna see is a flame bein tossed in my face._

"Don't burn a damn thing till ya find his arms!" _th Major commands an I dare to let my eyelids raise up to see him appear an set me up with my back to the wall b'hind me._

"Yes, sir." _Oh good, Arthur made it. _

_I wanted to call him a slow fucker, but when I tried to speak nothin would come out. Shit. Someone tell me that's gonna come back, I need my damn smartass mouth!_

"Take it easy, yer damn neck's gotta heal itself. It won't take long." _The Major tells me, his hands each takin to the sides a my head an movin it, then holdin it in place. The healin stings like a motherfucker an it don't get no better when Arthur an another a our soldiers brings my arms over an presses 'em to where they belong. My neck has healed enough for a strained growl a pain to come out through my teeth. _"I know, stings like a bitch." _He turned to Arthur. _"He needs blood, he's lost a lot. Any humans left?"

"No sir, the ones they didn't kill are changin right now. I'm bout to double back an take care a them. Can ya get him back or do ya need us to bring him somethin here?"

"_Bring me somethin," I rasp out, wincin as I try to straighten m'self. "I ain't goin back draped over his damn shoulder."_

_The Major turns his dark gaze on me for a minute, like he's tryin to decide if he will send Arthur for what I need or jus rip me to shreds an carry me home in a burlap sack. Then he chuckles an nods his head. _"Take care a the ones changin an find a few to bring back here."

_With a "yes, sir," Arthur is gone an the Major snakes an arm under mine to lift me up an get me closer to the mouth a the mine where the light is better an to get outta the way so his men can burn the bodies we'd scattered everywhere. He sits me down, again with my back to the wall an sits himself down on an ol' wooden crate jus across from me._

_He is studyin me again, an this time after a minute or two, he smirks a lil when he asks, rather than jus addressin me._

"Pete?"

_I jus smirk an shake my head, slowly. "Nah."_

_He chuckles, noddin his head. _"I knew it. Yer emotions are completely different than his, I can feel it when ya take over an shut him out. Got a name?" _This time I jus shrugged. It wasn't important. _"Ya did good. Both a ya."

_I smirk. "Awe..are ya gettin sweet on me, Major?" The look on his face should have me stutterin over an apology, but that ain't what happens at all. No, I jus go to laughin like a damn mad man, an tryin to stop it is useless. I'm jus waitin for the bastard to set a match to me himself, but all I hear is his own deep rumble of a laugh an he get up jus enough to shove me over on my side where I keep right on laughin._

"I'm gonna blame yer smart mouth on loss a venom an lack a feedin. Smartass."

"_Hope there's always somethin to blame it on," I answer back, pushin m'self up again. Hearin heartbeats somewhere far in the distance an gettin closer, he asks me if I'm gonna draw back an let the newborn have at it, an I shake my head. "He can't handle this kinda pain...an ya don't know his heart. He won't beat himself up so bad later on if I'm the one to do it."_

_He looks thoughtful again, lookin down at his boots before lookin back up to meet my gaze an I swear I see another man sittin there for jus a flash of a moment. _"I understand more than ya think," _he murmured, an bout that time the sound a thunderin heartbeats an the scent a sweet blood cancels out all rational thinkin for the both of us._

_I forget all about how pained an weak I feel when Arthur gets close enough, an I don't care nothin about toyin with my prey or pickin the best one. I get enough satisfaction in the taste a fear an shatterin a fragile bones in my grasp as I crush the body a my victim in my arms an drink deeply from the gapin hole I've made in it's neck. I can feel the heat spread out into my tissues as my body readily soaks up the life from not only one victim, but two. Blood hadn't ever tasted sweeter, not even my first feedin. Course, my body hadn't ever needed it so bad, either._

_Sated, I sat down on the ground where I had run to meet Arthur an my prey an rolled back into the grass, a smile turnin up my lips as I felt the blood begin to do it's work an give my body what it needed to heal completely. I hold up my arms, now bare since my sleeves were ripped away, an see they're marked with scars jus like the Major's. _

_It ain't so bad, an the scars now scream a warnin, jus as my sire's. I'm a soldier. A fighter. A nightmare._

_I'm dangerous._


	16. Note

Sorry, not a new chapter here but a question to those that are following along. I'm trying to figure out how I wish to move forward with the next chapter. I've already started writing it and started off with a pretty good time jump but I'm not sure if I should do that quite yet. So my question is what do y'all think? Want more of Pete's past life or are we ready to jump ahead a little? Hit review and let me know! I'll delete this post when I'm ready to post the next chapter, and thanks again all you who are reading!


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